“ASEAN-Canada Aim to Conclude Free Trade Agreement Negotiations in 2024 through Teleconferencing”

ASEAN-Canada negotiates the third round of FTAs ​​via teleconference. 17 articles of agreement have begun to be discussed and new issues have been discussed. Both labor, environment and trade that pay attention to all sectors. This year prepares to hold 2 more meetings and next year 4 times, aiming to conclude negotiations in 2024.

Mrs. Oramon Supthaweetham Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations revealed that on April 18, 2023, ASEAN and Canada held the third meeting to negotiate the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) via teleconference. The meeting consisted of a meeting of the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) to supervise and monitor the overall negotiations. And the sub-group meeting of 17 groups made good progress. And both sides plan to hold a meeting in the 4th round in June, the 5th round in September, and prepare to hold 4 more meetings in 2024 so that the negotiations can progress and set goals for conclusions. Negotiate within the year 2024

For the results of the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) meeting and 17 sub-group meetings, namely trade in goods, rules of origin. Customs clearance and trade facilitation Sanitary and phytosanitary measures technical barriers to trade, trade in services, telecommunication services Financial services, investments, intellectual property Government Procurement small and medium enterprises law and institutions commercial remedies electronic commerce competition and technical and economic cooperation. Most of the working group has already started discussing draft articles of agreement. and some faculties are in the process of understanding the needs of each party in order to prepare to draft the next article of agreement

The meeting also discussed new issues that may be relevant to trade, such as labor, the environment and trade with a focus on all sectors.

In 2022, ASEAN-Canada trade was valued at US$ 31,218.66 million, an increase of 23.77%, with ASEAN exports to Canada worth US$ 23,813.45 million, an increase of 23.70% and ASEAN imports from Canada worth US$ 7,405.21 million, an increase of 23.99%. such as electrical machinery Machinery, textiles and shoes, while the main imports are fertilizer, grain, machinery. pulp and waste paper and electrical machinery

As for trade between Thailand and Canada in 2022, it was worth US$ 3,275.69 million, an increase of 20%, with Thai exports to Canada worth US$ 2,116.97 million, an increase of 14.23% and Thailand imported from Canada worth US$ 1,258.72 million, an increase of 32.17%. important such as iron, steel and products canned and processed seafood, rubber products, and rice; important imports such as fertilizers and pesticides. pulp and waste paper plants and plant products machinery and components and circuit board