Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are set to formally accept the new Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), with many affirming their hope of seeing the agreement enter into force by the WTO’s 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi next December. At a recent meeting of the WTO’s Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation (PCTF), representatives from more than a dozen delegations said the domestic ratification process for the TFA was already underway, with some delegations outlining target dates for securing approval.

NEW DELHI: Expecting the removal of trade sanctions imposed on it by western nations, Iran has proposed a free trade agreement with India to boost bilateral trade and investment. The matter came up for discussion during the recent visit of Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher to Tehran. He was there for the first meeting of the joint working group (JWG) of the two countries.

After a long hiatus of over two years, India and the European Union (EU) will be discussing the proposed Broad-Based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) on April 13. This will be the first meeting between both the new leadership in India as well as in the EU. This will happen during a meeting between minister of state for commerce and industry (independent charge) Nirmala Sitharaman and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström on the sidelines of the Hannover Messe, world’s largest industrial fair where India is the partner country for the first time ever.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) urges African politicians to ratify the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) at the 20th anniversary of the organization in Marrakech.

The signing and implementation of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) will be a great and important step, lifting the time-honoured relationship between Vietnam and EEU members to a new height. Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Le Hai Binh responded to reporters’ queries relating to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s recently concluded official visit to Vietnam and the FTA, which was discussed at length during the visit, at the ministry’s regular press conference on April 9.

HA NOI (VNS) — The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between Viet Nam and the European Union (EU) requires continuous efforts from both sides, said the European Parliament's President of the Committee on International Trade, Bernd Lange, in Ha Noi yesterday. The agreement is currently in its final round of negotiation which is expected to last until June. A delegate from the committee participated in a review process to determine Viet Nam's readiness in signing the FTA. The European Parliament is playing a crucial part in speeding up the negotiation.

HA NOI  (VNS) — Export firms have been urged to actively study the mechanism for self-issuing the certificate of origin (C/O) for goods under free trade agreements (FTAs) to boost exports. The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that upcoming FTAs, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Viet Nam–EU FTA, would allow exporters to have the right to issue self-certification of origin. The ministry is the only body currently that can authorise C/Os.

As two mega-regional preferential trade agreements — the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) — loom closer to completion, India must move towards higher trade standards. Trade diversion from non-member countries of these mega-regional trade agreements is likely to occur and could be detrimental. This is a serious concern for developing countries cut out of the talks.

(Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on Monday threw his weight behind the Obama administration's bid to clear the way for a pan-Pacific trade pact, arguing that time was running out and that without a deal, U.S. influence and Asia-Pacific stability were at risk.

Russia Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is on a 2-day visit to Vietnam. It could be an important one as Medvedev has raised a number of prospects for closer economic ties: To begin with, a free trade deal between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union is on the horizon and could be signed later this year: