HANOI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- A seminar to exchange experience and promote cooperation between Vietnamese and Italian businesses was held here on Wednesday by the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and Italian embassy in Vietnam. Cooperation between Vietnam and Italy has witnessed new development. The two sides have taken full advantages of each other's potential to boost trade and investment. However, the two- way trade turnover in recent years has not yet met both sides' potential, MPI Deputy Minister Dang Huy Dong said at the seminar.

SINGAPORE, June 8 (Bernama) — The EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions is anticipated to conclude over the next few months and will come into effect by the second-half of 2012, says Chief European Union Negotiator Rupert Schlegelmilch. He said the agreement would be the most comprehensive and advance for both parties. "We are close to finish. (However), we are still discussing a broad range of issues which include the rule of origin, procurement, technical norms and others.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. on Tuesday called for China to disclose all its government subsidy programs as Beijing backed down in a trade dispute between the world's two leading economies over clean energy technology. Washington filed a case with the World Trade Organization in December over grants provided by the Chinese government to wind turbine manufacturers that used key components made in China rather than purchasing imports. The U.S. estimates that the grants provided since 2008 could have totaled several hundred million dollars.

WASHINGTON — More than 50 lawmakers voiced concern Wednesday about opening the US market to Vietnam’s textiles under a proposed Pacific Rim trade pact, saying the move would devastate the domestic industry. Fifty-two members of the House of Representatives — ranging from liberal Democrats to conservative Republicans — called for special rules on textiles as the United States and eight other nations negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Taking forward their long-standing relationship, India and Canada aim at a bilateral trade target of $15 billion in the next five years. Both countries are in talks for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that would yield significant economic benefit and lower tariff on a large number of products for both the countries.

Vietnam’s agricultural sector expects to surpass 2011’s export target of $23 billion since agricultural, forest items and seafood exports exceeded $10 billion in the year’s first five months. According to a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) report, the agricultural export values leaped 41.5 per cent in the first five months of 2011 against the same period last year.

VNEconomyNews.com - Coal exports reached 2 million tones and were valued at US$ 192 million in May 2011, a sharp increase, according to figures released by the General Department of Statistics. The agency unveiled that the country has exported 6.64 million tons of coal and benefited to the tune of US$ 638 million over the first 5 months of the year. By contrast to 2010, coal exports in 2011 fell 25 per cent in volume but were the same in value as the price of coal in the world market had sharply increased.

New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Aiming to promote organic farming, the government has partially relaxed restrictions on exports of sugar, pulses and edible oils, produced without using chemical fertiliser and pesticides. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has allowed exports of organic cooking oil, sugar and pulses upto 10,000 tonnes each per annum.

India is hopeful of signing the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union this year and negotiations are at an ‘advanced stage’, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said today. “We are in advanced stages in negotiations for signing the Free Trade Agreement with European Union. It will happen this year..”, Mr. Sharma told reporters in Chennai. The proposed FTA would be beneficial to the Indian industry, he said, adding, government was also proposing to sign similar agreements with Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) — Major trade organizations of South Korea, China and Japan urged their governments Friday to quickly sign a three-way free trade agreement (FTA) to strengthen their economic cooperation. "Early conclusion of negotiations for a South Korea-China-Japan FTA will help create a breakthrough for economic integration," said Oh Young-ho, vice chairman of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).