Free Trade's Next Step: Southeast Asia and Europe Eye a Region to Region Deal The European Union (EU) and the Philippines have finalized a free trade deal, marking a significant milestone in the growing network of bilateral pacts between the EU and ASEAN member states.
This development underscores the region's long term ambition to establish a more comprehensive agreement: a region to region free trade pact between ASEAN and the EU.
Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong emphasized that bilateral negotiations can lay the groundwork for greater regional integration, facilitating mutual understanding and trust building between partners.