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European Union aims to resume free trade talks with Thailand


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European Union aims to resume free trade talks with Thailand

 

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FILE PHOTO: Window cleaners work on the facade of a building of the European Union Council in Brussels, Belgium, January 6, 2016. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - The European Union aims to resume negotiations with Thailand on a free trade agreement (FTA), the Council of the European Union said in a statement, after suspending trade talks following a 2014 military coup.

 

Thailand held general elections in March and a pro-army coalition of parties has formed a government, officially ending five years of military rule.

 

“The Council now considers it appropriate for the EU to take steps towards broadening its engagement with Thailand,” it said in a statement late on Monday.

 

Part of this effort includes preparations to sign a Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA), which was aimed at closer economic and political ties with Thailand, and resuming trade negotiations with Southeast Asia second-largest economy.

 

“The Council also stresses the importance of taking steps towards the resumption of negotiations on an ambitious and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement,” it said.

 

Trade between the EU and Thailand is valued at about 38 billion euros ($42 billion) in 2018, according to the European Commission.

 

The EU is Thailand’s third-largest export market, with Thailand selling 22.9 billion euros worth of goods and services to it, mainly machinery and transport equipment.

 

After the military overthrew a civilian government in 2014, the EU said it would keep its relations with Thailand under review and put on hold the signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the FTA.

 

The EU resumed political contact with Thailand in 2017.

 

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-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-15
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17 minutes ago, Eligius said:

E.U. aims to resume free trade talks with Thailand.

 

Shame on them. Should be NO negotiations until Thailand returns to democracy and holds HONEST elections - and imprisons its traitorous criminals for the rest of their days!

 

Too late for that - EU has already concluded similar agreements with two non-democratic ASEAN Member States: Vietnam and Singapore.

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30 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Free trade where Thailand puts 4-500% importtax on the European products....what a joke.

Well, a Free Trade Agreement would change that, wouldn’t it, After a transitional period, goods originating in the EU wouldn’t be subjected to import duties in Thailand anymore. Same same the other way round,

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5 hours ago, damascase said:

Well, a Free Trade Agreement would change that, wouldn’t it, After a transitional period, goods originating in the EU wouldn’t be subjected to import duties in Thailand anymore. Same same the other way round,

And you believe that? So we can buy cheese/butter/wine for almost the same price as in Europe?? A kg of cheese kosts 5-8 euro overthere....good cheese, no <deleted>...

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2 hours ago, fruitman said:

And you believe that? So we can buy cheese/butter/wine for almost the same price as in Europe?? A kg of cheese kosts 5-8 euro overthere....good cheese, no <deleted>...

i am only saying that after a transitional period the import duties will be zero. That is a fact. An FTA, however, does not cover national taxation like the extremely high Thai excise duties on wine or anything else. And I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for much lower prices on EU butter/cheese, as the duties are only a small part of the price. 
 

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12 hours ago, damascase said:

i am only saying that after a transitional period the import duties will be zero. That is a fact. An FTA, however, does not cover national taxation like the extremely high Thai excise duties on wine or anything else. And I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for much lower prices on EU butter/cheese, as the duties are only a small part of the price. 
 

Yes that might be true but then the Thai will just keep the same prices in the shops and make more profit.

 

It's the same now, prices of imported goods still go up while the euro is much weaker against the baht. Europe should think again and closely watch the Thai every day again. They will always protect their own products and find many many ways to do so.

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13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

European Union aims to resume free trade talks with Thailand

General Apirat might have some influence over that. If he has his way military rule might be just over the horizon.......again.

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The Council considers it appropriate .....? Really? Are you blind as well as stupid?

General this, General that. Even the PM's Assistant spokesman is a bloody Major General.

Also, calming down a bit, there's no such thing as free trade. Everyone is protectionist. Everyone has differing standards, to maintain The protection. The standards the EU will expect to be attained will be a bit different to Thai standards. Not saying better, by any means, but different. Unless you meet EU standards, you will not be able to sell in Europe. Or perhaps I have a jaundiced view, being a Brit.

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On 10/15/2019 at 6:14 PM, Eligius said:

E.U. aims to resume free trade talks with Thailand.

 

Shame on them. Should be NO negotiations until Thailand returns to democracy and holds HONEST elections - and imprisons its traitorous criminals for the rest of their days!

 

E.U. members has democracy? It's a financial dictatorship where nobody has sovereignty.

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3 minutes ago, bizboi said:

The EU is a dumping ground for over priced products no one wants to buy and no one has any money for!!Any trade with Thailand will be ONE way - good job were out soon!! More European incompetence!!

I don't think you will soon be awarded a Nobel prize for Macro Economics.

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On 10/15/2019 at 5:38 PM, snoop1130 said:

The European Union aims to resume negotiations with Thailand on a free trade agreement (FTA)

The EU must be aware of the Prayut government's lack of experience and/or commitment with FTA's such as with Australia over Thailand's unilateral shutdown of the the Kingsgate mine and with ASEAN trade agreements by imposing "special" taxes. Prayut's government has had a propensity to bypass FTA provisions to protect the Thai marketplace from fair and equal foreign competition. 

 

Under a free trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little* or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange. (my bold) https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/free-trade.asp

Free trade is a largely theoretical policy under which governments impose absolutely no tariffs, taxes, or duties on imports, or quotas on exports. (my bold) https://www.thoughtco.com/free-trade-definition-theories-4571024

Thailand governments generally have been very trade protective in Thailand's domestic market. Thailand's long list of price controlled products and extensive agricultural subsidies distort a free and open market in Thailand. The EU needs to assure a truly comprehensive, monitored and enforced FTA to prevent the Thai government to manipulate and distort its domestic market to the disadvantage of the EU. To that end FTA negotiations with Thailand should not be rushed nor unnecessarily generous. 

 

* Note: tariffs can be imposed in a FTA with ratified agreement between signatory governments. Typically though, the tariffs are very de minimus and may have sunset terms.

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If it means to bring back the price of imported wine to a civilize level, (imported wine went up 100% 2years ago) then I would embrace free trade. If not I could not care less. I don't believe the EU has increased

Thai products by 100%, but they should!

 

"A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world"     Louis Pasteur

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On 10/16/2019 at 11:13 PM, oldhippy said:

I don't think you will soon be awarded a Nobel prize for Macro Economics.

Im certainly closer to winning one for Economics than you are for winning one for common sense!! Perhaps you could list the macro-economic topics your expert opinion thinks Im missing. But then "macro-economics" is probably just a word you’ve heard on the bar stool??

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On 10/15/2019 at 11:49 PM, fruitman said:

Free trade where Thailand puts 4-500% importtax on the European products....what a joke.

And with no import tax there will be many more Mercs to run down the peasants and demolish a few power poles. Won't need to repair them, just buy a new.

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On 10/15/2019 at 5:57 PM, djayz said:

Don't they recognize the same names and faces from back then and now?!?!

That is pretty funny to think about.

 

Walking into the meeting and all the same people are there. First time stole the Government, this time rigged it.

 

But...didn't...weren't you...how did...didn't we...

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EU should throw in a few conditions before signing such an agreement e.g.

- 3 months tourist visa for EU citizens
- spouse/settlement visa for EU citizens
- citizenship after 5 years of marriage

No rocket science, just reciprocity to what Thais get in Schenghen/EU


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

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