Jakarta, Indonesia: European Union (EU) began pioneering free trade with ASEAN. This pilot initially began with free trade negotiations with Singapore and Malaysia. This is expressed by French Deputy Delegate for Asian Affairs in the EU, Laurent Cabrera, in Brussels on Tuesday (21 / 6), as reported by Reuters reporters Wachidah Handasah from Brussels, Belgium.



Cabrera explained that initially the EU wants to negotiate free trade with ASEAN as a whole. However, it was not possible given the differences in conditions between the member countries of ASEAN. Besides Singapore and Malaysia, according to Cabrera, there are two other ASEAN countries who have expressed a desire to begin free trade negotiations with the EU, namely Vietnam and Thailand. ''They were attracted by the idea.''

As for Indonesia, he added, for a while yet formally declared his intention to negotiate free trade with the EU. ''For a while, with Indonesia is more aimed at cooperation and partnership agreement (partnership and cooperation agreement).'' On that occasion, Cabrera also acknowledged that the strict rules set out the EU, mainly relating to hygiene, against imported products. As a result, some countries have difficulty entering its products to the EU. ''For some countries, sometimes those rules seem outrageous. They are so hard to put its products. It is not only complained of by Indonesia.' '(net)