Thailand-EU FTA talks make progress on sustainability, SMEs and trade barriers

According to the Ministry of Commerce, the seventh round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in Brussels, Belgium, from September 29 to October 3.

Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said on Saturday that the recent talks, hosted by Thailand from June 23–27 in Bangkok, continued to move in a positive direction.

Citing a report from Chotima Iemsawasdikul, Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN), Pichai confirmed that the two sides had reached agreement in principle on three chapters:

• Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD): This chapter involves enhancing standards relating to the environment, labour, and social issues in connection with trade.
   
• Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): This section focuses on ensuring SMEs can access comprehensive information on trade regulations and measures.
   
• Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT): This aims to facilitate trade by reducing unnecessary regulatory obstacles.

Other negotiation groups also reported significant progress. The two parties discussed further market access for goods and exchanged views on proposals related to services and investment, also mapping out tasks to be completed before the next round.

Pichai said both Thailand and the EU were pleased with the outcomes of this round, especially the TSD chapter, which is of key importance to both sides.

 It aligns with the EU’s European Green Deal as well as Thailand’s own policies focused on improving environmental, labour and social standards. This direction also reflects the global trend toward sustainable trade.

Both parties also placed strong emphasis on helping SMEs access regulatory information to better utilise the benefits of the FTA.

Given the global geopolitical and economic uncertainties, Thailand and the EU reaffirmed their commitment to being reliable and predictable trade partners, Pichai said.

He also expressed Thailand’s readiness to accelerate negotiations with the aim of concluding the FTA as soon as possible, in line with discussions he held with Maroš Šefčovič, the EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, during the OECD meeting in Paris earlier this month.

This drive is consistent with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s policy to expand Thailand’s trade opportunities, explore new markets abroad, and attract increased foreign investment, he added.

From January to May 2025, the EU was Thailand’s fourth-largest trading partner after China, the United States, and Japan. Total trade between Thailand and the EU stood at US$18.09 billion, up 0.57% from the same period in 2024. 

Thai exports to the EU reached US$10.69 billion, an increase of 8.86%, while imports fell by 9.40% to US$7.39 billion — resulting in a trade surplus of US$3.30 billion for Thailand.