Enhancing ASEAN FTA Negotiating Capacity

Officials, business representatives and academics from the 10 ASEAN Member States came together on September 17 in Hanoi for the 4^th session of the regional training workshops and discussion on FTA negotiations techniques with a particular focus in trade in services, and the ways that ASEAN would benefit from free trade agreements.

 

Organised by the EU-ASEAN's "Enhancing ASEAN FTA Negotiating Capacity Programme", the four-day event coincides with the initiation of FTA negotiations between the EU and Vietnam. During the event, participants will also engage in negotiation simulation exercises that focus on trade negotiating techniques, methodologies and tools.

This training and research workshop is the fourth in a series of 10 taking place all over ASEAN. The workshops have covered a variety of trade issues including “new and emerging trade issues”, traditional trade topics such as agriculture, non-agricultural market access, trade in services and cross-cutting issues. This workshop, which focuses on the role of services trade in the world economy as well as ASEAN and the EU, will be presented by eminent academics and practitioners.  

Bryan Fornari, Deputy Head of Cooperation and Development at the EU Delegation to Vietnam, stated “This EU-funded regional workshop is a great opportunity to build the capacities of ASEAN officials on FTA negotiation skills and on trade in services. It will bring important benefits to the participants by providing a better understanding of how to carry out FTA negotiations with the EU and how to deal with the broader areas that are covered under the 'new generation' FTAs.”