EU-Malaysia trade to match pre-pandemic levels by year-end: EU Ambassador
The European Union (EU) is expecting trade with Malaysia to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, EU Ambassador to Malaysia Michalis Rokas has said.
EU Ambassador to Malaysia Michalis Rokas (Photo: Internet)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - The European Union (EU) is expectingtrade with Malaysia to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year,EU Ambassador to Malaysia Michalis Rokas has said.
The EU pledgedto continue to make Malaysia its strategic partner given its significantgateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market, he spoke during Bernama TV’s programme entitled “Malaysia-EU Relations” on January31.
ASEAN countries in generalare a great destination, he said, adding that 45% of EU trade (to ASEAN) goes through Malaysia’s shores.
According to Rokas, the EU and Malaysia have formed a strongbilateral relationship and investment commitment for decades even before theintroduction of any treaty tools or trade instrument. This means Malaysia is already a trusted partner for the EU,because of its democracy, rule of law, native E♓nglish speakers, ease of doingbusiness and skilled workforce, among others, he was quoted by Bernama newsagency as saying.
The ambassador said the Comprehensive andProgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Partnershipand Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which was signed in Brussels in December lastyear, would provide a major springboard that would boost EU-Malaysia trade.
Pre-pandemic, the two-way EU-Malaysia trade amounted toover 300 billion EUR but it dropped to 50 billion EUR after thepandemic hit amid supply chain disruptions, labour shortages, and closureof factories.
Expressing his interest to be working closely with the newgovernment under the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahimon various reforms, Rokas said there are close to 1,500 European companiesoperating in the Southeast Asian country at present.
🍌For future potential collaboration, he said key areas wouldbe in green technologies, digitalisation, cybersecurity, humandevelopment, education as well as logistics and commodity manufacturing./.
Malaysia's passenger traffic across all local airports operated by the Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) saw a substantial increase to 52.7 million last year from 10.72 million in 2021.
Malaysia’s Kenanga Research (Kenanga) expects tourist arrivals in the country to jump almost four-fold to 9.6 million in 2023 from an estimated 2.5 million a year ago.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim on January 30 witnessed the signing of three bilateral cooperation agreements on the digital economy, green economy, personal data protection, and cyber security.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
EU Ambassador to Malaysia Michalis Rokas (Photo: Internet) 
