EU-ASEAN

The European Union was planning on a bilateral trade agreement with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) for many years. On 4 May 2007, the two sides agreed to start negotiations.

The EU-ASEAN FTA is supposed to be a comprehensive agreement. While ASEAN states are hoping to gain additional market access in the EU, the agreement is expected to have a much bigger impact in strengthening business opportunities for European TNCs in the region.

The talks have moved slowly and it’s not clear if the final deal will take the form of separate agreements between the EU and individual ASEAN members, something the EU seems to prefer. This would allow European governments to avoid taking on any commitments that support the regime in Burma but also to deal with the economic heterogeneity among ASEAN members.

EU procedures require that all ASEAN countries sign a Partnership Cooperation Agreement, containing a commitment to human rights, as a prerequisite to an FTA. Indonesia has already concluded its PCA with the EU, Singapore and Thailand are in advanced stages of negotiations, and Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei are soon to begin. The Philippine government stated early on that it expects problems in negotiating a PCA, as the agreement apparently requires that the signatory state join the International Criminal Court.

Click here for the European Commission’s page on the EU-Indonesia FTA

last update: May 2012
photo: People’s Health Movement


CNCD 11.11.11 | 16-Jul-2025
Selon les rares documents disponibles, l’accord comporte de nombreux risques pour les droits humains, sociaux et environnementaux.
RFI | 15-Jul-2025
La présidente de la Commission européenne a annoncé un « accord politique » avec l’Indonésie. Cet accord vise un assouplissement des barrières commerciales qui existent entre l’UE et la première économie d’Asie du Sud-Est.
MSN | 14-Jul-2025
La presidenta de la Comisión Europea, Ursula von der Leyen, dijo el domingo que se alcanzó un acuerdo político para avanzar en el tratado de libre comercio entre la UE e Indonesia.
Reuters | 14-Jul-2025
A political agreement has been reached to advance the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the EU and Indonesia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted that the deal will unlock new market opportunities, especially in agriculture and automotive sectors.
Gavroche Thaïlande | 2-Jul-2025
La sixième session de négociation du FTA Thaïlande–UE, qui vient de s’achever, a permis de finaliser trois nouveaux chapitres (PME, commerce et développement durable, obstacles techniques au commerce).
The Nation Thailand | 1-Jul-2025
The sixth round of negotiations on the Thailand-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), reached consensus on three important chapters: Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD), Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). The seventh round is planned for late September to early October in Brussels.