ASEAN ‘more open market’ than EU, US

AFP, PARIS: ASEAN, the 10-state Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a more open market for international trade than either the European Union or the United States, according to a World Economic Forum report released Wednesday.
The WEF hailed the "increased integration into the global economy" of ASEAN members, which comprise Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"ASEAN's progress as an economic power comes at a time when the United States and European Union are becoming less open," it said in a key finding of the 2016 Global Enabling Trade Report.
The scorecard, which comes out every two years, measures the overall capacity of 136 economies to enable the flow of goods across borders.
US President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to withdraw from international trade agreements and possibly levy trade tariffs. European states, buffeted by populists, have been under pressure to ditch a trade deal with Canada and a proposed agreement with the United States.

ASEAN more open market than EU, US

AFP, PARIS: ASEAN, the 10-state Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a more open market for international trade than either the European Union or the United States, according to a World Economic Forum report released Wednesday. The WEF hailed the increased integration into the global economy of ASEAN members, which comprise Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. ASEANs progress as an economic power comes at a time when the United States and European Union are becoming less open, it said in a key finding of the 2016 Global Enabling Trade Report. The scorecard, which comes out every two years, measures the overall capacity of 136 economies to enable the flow of goods across borders. US President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to withdraw from international trade agreements and possibly levy trade tariffs. European states, buffeted by populists, have been under pressure to ditch a trade deal with Canada and a proposed agreement with the United States.