- Negotiations
Compared to its neighbours in Southeast Asia, Malaysia was late to get on the FTA train. But now it does not want to be left out of the major deals, it seems.
Malaysia signed its first FTAs with Japan in 2005. In 2007, it signed with Pakistan. It also has FTAs with Chile (2010) , India (2011) and New Zealand (2009), It has been in FTA talks with the US, but these have effectively been shelves since 2009. It is in negotiations with Australia, and may commence negotiations with the GCC and EFTA.
As member of ASEAN, it is also party to the agreements with China, India, Korea and Japan, and the negotiations with Australia/New Zealand and the EU.
last update: May 2012
Photo: MTUC
1-Jul-2025
Consumers’ Association of Penang
Consumers’ Association of Penang express strong disappointment over Malaysia’s rushed signing of a trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, criticizing the government’s failure to address concerns about the intellectual property (IP) provisions.
25-Jun-2025
ScandAsia
Malaysia has signed a wide-ranging economic partnership agreement with the four member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
17-Jun-2025
Consumers’ Association of Penang
Consumers’ Association of Penang submitted a Memorandum on June 2025 to strongly urge the Malaysian government not to rush to endorse and/or sign the trade deal with EFTA. If a deal is to be signed, such a deal must not contain any TRIPS-plus obligation.
16-Jun-2025
The Star
The proposed Malaysia-EFTA Economic Partnership Agreement (MEEPA) could negatively affect public health, farmers’ rights, and food security in Malaysia. It includes "TRIPS-plus" intellectual property provisions that extend patent monopolies, limit access to affordable generic medicines, and increase drug costs.
30-May-2025
Sahabat Alam Malaysia
CSOs in Malaysia write a letter to expresses serious concerns about the potential inclusion of UPOV 1991 in the Malaysia-European Free Trade Association Economic Partnership Agreement (MEEPA), warning that it could undermine Malaysia’s existing plant variety protection law, harm farmers’ rights, and restrict seed sovereignty.
27-May-2025
Indiplomacy
Malaysia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have officially launched negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), aiming to deepen bilateral trade and investment ties across goods, services, and broader economic cooperation.
10-May-2025
AGBI
Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that talks on closing a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council are continuing, 14 years after they first began.
6-Feb-2025
Trend
Uzbekistan and Malaysia are strengthening economic ties through a proposed preferential trade agreement and increased cooperation across various sectors. Uzbekistan is actively seeking Malaysian investment in its privatization program and has established a special economic zone managed by a Malaysian company.
30-Jan-2025
OpenGov
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim outlined Malaysia’s focus on integrating digitalisation into the country’s Free Trade Agreements.
30-Jan-2025
Xinhua English News
Malaysia has announced its 2025 trade targets, prioritizing partnerships with the BRICS group, leveraging existing Free Trade Agreements, and focusing on emerging markets. As the 2025 ASEAN chair, Malaysia will also emphasize regional integration, digital transformation, and sustainable growth in its trade strategy.
