Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has preferential and free trade agreements with India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Singapore and Israel. It is currently in the processing of upgrading its agreement with India to a much more comprehensive one.
Sri Lanka is also party to SAFTA, the agreement on a South Asia Free Trade Area, as well as BIMSTEC, which aims to hammer out a regional FTA.
last update: May 2012
Articles
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17-Jul-2017 Colombo Gazette Bangladesh confirms Sri Lanka FTA to be signed this year
Dhaka has been negotiating the FTA with Colombo since 2013 to increase trade now worth $80 million every year. -
12-Jun-2017 Sunday Times Sri Lanka, China conclude 6th round negotiations
Sri Lanka is closing in on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China after ending the sixth round of negotiations on trade in services with senior officials hopeful that the deal could be concluded soon. -
24-May-2017 Daily Mirror.lk Proposed Sri Lanka-Malaysia FTA advances into scoping stage
Discussions on the proposed Sri Lanka-Malaysia free trade agreement have advanced into the scoping stage. -
17-Apr-2017 Global Risk Insights Under the radar: Are Sri Lanka’s ports the next great game for China, India and Japan?
Sri Lanka expects to deepen existing FTA with India and to sign a FTA with Singapore and another with China. Sri Lanka also hopes to talk to Japan, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries with regards to FTAs. -
10-Feb-2017 Daily Mirror.lk Lanka worries about Indian ‘Trojan Horse’
Fear of economic domination by the ‘Big Brother’ has replaced the earlier fear of political and military dominance. -
10-Feb-2017 ICTSD Sri Lanka aiming for China trade deal in 2017, official says
Sri Lanka aims to finalise a free trade agreement (FTA) with China later this year, said the country’s ambassador to Beijing -
13-Jan-2017 Colombo Page Sri Lanka seeks tripartite arrangement for trade and investment with India and Singapore
Sri Lanka is keen to establish a tripartite arrangement for trade and investment with India and Singapore, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Harsha de Silva has said. -
12-Jan-2017 Colombo Page Sri Lanka, Bangladesh consider a free trade agreement
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have discussed signing a free trade agreement between the two countries -
3-Jan-2017 Daily Mirror (lk) Third round of talks on ETCA to be held on Jan. 4 and 5
Negotiations have become tougher and tougher as both sides are keen on clinching a good deal without unrealistic compromises. -
2-Dec-2016 Colombo Gazette Indian, Sri Lankan officials to meet this month on FTA
Senior officials of India and Sri Lanka will meet to discuss broadening of the existing trade deal by including services and investments. -
10-Aug-2016 Colombo Gazette India and Sri Lanka begin talks on ETCA agreement
While India is looking at the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement as a mechanism to increase Indian investment in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan government is wanting to use ETCA to become part of the Indian supply chain -
3-May-2016 The Nation China to sign FTA with Sri Lanka in line with trade arrangement with Pakistan
China after having successful free trade agreement with Pakistan, now agreed to reach similar arrangements with Sri Lanka for free trade regime. -
16-Jan-2016 FDIs Or Economic Partnerships?
When talking of economic development, foreign investments could be easily defined as a major portion of the base foundation of a country’s economy. In the modern era, countries extend their partnerships with the counterparts by initiating various investment strategies and by opening up their local markets and industries for global investors. -
5-Jan-2016 Lanka Business Online Pakistan, Sri Lanka include services and investments in FTA
Sri Lanka and Pakistan have agreed to include services and investment chapters in the bilateral Free Trade Agreement. -
29-Dec-2015 China to have talks with Sri Lanka on FTA
The Chinese Government says it will have talks with Sri Lanka next year on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA). -
20-Sep-2015 Sri Lanka pitches for inking CEPA by next year
Sri Lanka today sought finalisation of the long-pending Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India by next year, saying it will significantly enhance two-way trade besides opening up new areas for economic engagement. -
2-Sep-2015 Colombo Page Private sectors of Sri Lanka, Pakistan urged to forge deeper links to boost trade
Pakistan and Sri Lanka are important partners not only in promoting bilateral trade and economic interactions but also enhancing regional economic integration through SAARC and SAFTA. -
25-May-2015 The Nation Switzerland to upgrade existing trade agreements
Switzerland has expressed interest to upgrade its Bilateral Investment Treaty with Sri Lanka. -
17-May-2015 SL-China FTA to allow skilled workers here
A storm is brewing over renewed negotiation of the proposed Indo-Sri Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi threw the ball in the Sri Lankan court saying India was interested in finalising this agreement. -
20-Apr-2015 Colombo Page Sri Lanka, Japan to link FTA this year
Sri Lanka and Japan plan to formulate and sign a Free Trade Agreement in 2015, the Sri Lanka-Japan Business Co-operation Committee has announced.
People’s summit against FTAs and RCEP in Hyderabad, India on 22-26 July 2017.
Click here for the complete list of actions and meetings. Also now as PDF handout.
News from the movements
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21-Jul-2017 Newsclick
Who benefits from RCEP - the world’s largest free trade agreement?
This video highlights various critical aspects of RCEPs corporate agenda.
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20-Jul-2017 bilaterals.org
Mutations des politiques commerciales: quelles réponses des mouvements sociaux ?
Plutôt que de se contenter de formes plus “inclusives” du capitalisme, nous devrions se réapproprier et construire une vision économique et politique claire et radicale. -
20-Jul-2017 Socialist Project
Trumping NAFTA: Free trade versus democratic planning
The struggle against NAFTA, and neoliberalism more broadly, must address struggles over the state. -
19-Jul-2017
Cold reception to RCEP as people’s resistance consolidates
At a press conference held today in New Delhi, researchers and academics expressed concern about the likely impact of RCEP on areas like agriculture, services, access to medicines, investment and e-commerce, flagging the growing popular rejection of this mega-regional FTA -
19-Jul-2017 AFTINET
Show support for people’s protest at RCEP talks in India
Support farmers, workers and communities protesting TPP-like proposals on seeds, medicines, services and corporate powers to sur governments in Hyderabad! -
15-Jul-2017 Focus on the Global South
Call for solidarity and participation! People’s summit against FTAs and RCEP
22-26 July 2017. Hyderabad, India. -
13-Jul-2017 Al Jazeera
’Don’t make decisions about us, without us’
Free trade agreements scripted by powerful governments and corporations destroy rural areas. Peasants will resist them! -
13-Jul-2017 APWLD
No RCEP Campaign: Stop trading away human rights
The ’No RCEP’ campaign urges governments to consider the adverse impact of the mega free trade agreement
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