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Malaysia

Compared to its neighbours in Southeast Asia, Malaysia was late to get on the FTA train. But now it does not want to be left out of the major deals, it seems.

Malaysia signed its first FTAs with Japan in 2005. In 2007, it signed with Pakistan. It also has FTAs with Chile (2010) , India (2011) and New Zealand (2009), It has been in FTA talks with the US, but these have effectively been shelves since 2009. It is in negotiations with Australia, and may commence negotiations with the GCC and EFTA.

As member of ASEAN, it is also party to the agreements with China, India, Korea and Japan, and the negotiations with Australia/New Zealand and the EU.

last update: May 2012
Photo: MTUC

Malaysia signs free trade pact with Norway, Iceland and other EFTA countries
ScandAsia | 25-Jun-2025
Malaysia has signed a wide-ranging economic partnership agreement with the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
: EFTA , Malaysia
Malaysia – EFTA Economic Partnership Agreement (MEEPA) will jeopardise public health, access to seeds & farmers’ rights
Consumers’ Association of Penang | 17-Jun-2025
Consumers’ Association of Penang submitted a Memorandum on June 2025 to strongly urge the Malaysian government not to rush to endorse and/or sign the trade deal with EFTA. If a deal is to be signed, such a deal must not contain any TRIPS-plus obligation.
: actions | resistance , agriculture | farmers | food , health , intellectual property , medicines
Malaysia-European Free Trade Association partnership agreement could negatively impact many sectors, says CAP
The Star | 16-Jun-2025
The proposed Malaysia-EFTA Economic Partnership Agreement (MEEPA) could negatively affect public health, farmers’ rights, and food security in Malaysia. It includes "TRIPS-plus" intellectual property provisions that extend patent monopolies, limit access to affordable generic medicines, and increase drug costs.
: agriculture | farmers | food , EFTA , intellectual property , Malaysia , medicines
ASEAN y el GCC iniciarán conversaciones sobre el TLC
Bernama | 30-May-2025
El primer ministro de Malasia y presidente de la ASEAN anunció hoy que el bloque de 10 miembros planea lanzar negociaciones para TLC con los países ricos en petróleo del Consejo de Cooperación del Golfo (GCC).
: ASEAN , Malaysia
Don’t trade away farmers’ rights: reject UPOV in EFTA-Malaysia agreement
Sahabat Alam Malaysia | 30-May-2025
CSOs in Malaysia write a letter to expresses serious concerns about the potential inclusion of UPOV 1991 in the Malaysia-European Free Trade Association Economic Partnership Agreement (MEEPA), warning that it could undermine Malaysia’s existing plant variety protection law, harm farmers’ rights, and restrict seed sovereignty.
: actions | resistance , agriculture | farmers | food , EFTA , Malaysia
Malaysia and GCC launched free trade agreement negotiations
Indiplomacy | 27-May-2025
Malaysia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have officially launched negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), aiming to deepen bilateral trade and investment ties across goods, services, and broader economic cooperation.
: GCC , Malaysia