Summit to address trade barriers

With emerging non-tariff barriers causing slowdowns in export growth, Asean members will call on all countries, particularly developed nations, to stop erecting them. Asean members fear that protectionism will eventually dampen world economic growth amid widespread financial turmoil.

"Protectionism will be a key agenda item among Asean leaders' discussions, because each country is concerned about slowdowns in trade growth caused by protectionism in many countries," said Trade Negotiations Department director-general Chutima Bunyapraphasara.

Thailand will host the Asean Summit from February 27 to March 1 in Hua Hin. The conference will show tighter cooperation among Asean members, as the Asean Charter was adopted at the previous summit in November 2007. It commits all member states to following every agreement.

Chutima said all Asean countries were worried about rising non-tariff barriers in world trade, because their economies relied mostly on exports. Asean countries that have fewer non-tariff barriers want all countries, especially developed nations, to stop erecting them before they shrink export growth even further and worsen the economic downturn.

In addition, the summit will kick off the first Asean Economic Community Council (AEC Council) meeting, aimed at ensuring the achievement of the Asean Economic Community by 2015 and tightening communication among member nations.

AEC Council meetings will be held twice a year. Since Thailand now holds the Asean presidency, Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu will lead the first meeting at this summit.

AEC Council meetings will also serve as an instrument for each member to evaluate their efficiency in moving the AEC forward and ensuring all countries can ultimately achieve economic, social, culture and political integration.

Another item to be covered at the Asean Summit is food security. Thailand will propose that Asean establish Asean rice stockpiles, in order to foster regional security. Asean members will also discuss the prolonged Doha Round of talks under the World Trade Organisation, which seek to ensure fair and free international trade during the economic recession.

Thailand will sign eight international trade pacts at the summit that have already received parliamentary approval. These are the Asean-Goods Trade Agreement; the Asean Investment and Services Liberalisation-Commitment Protocol; the Career-Acceptance Agree-ment in Engineering, Architecture, Medicine, Dentistry and Accountancy; the Asean-Korea Free-Trade Agreement; the Asean-China Investment-Facilitation Agreement: the Asean-India FTA; the Asean-Australia-New Zealand FTA; and the Thailand-Indonesia Memorandum of Understanding on Sugar.

However, there is concern that India may delay signing its FTA with Asean, because it has not yet confirmed its attendance at the signing ceremony.