NSTP FILE PICTHE past years can hardly be called a golden age of European trade negotiations. One region where the EU had remarkable success in this decade, however, is Southeast Asia. Singapore and Vietnam have had free trade agreements in force since 2019 and 2020, respectively. And, with Malaysia, negotiations were reopened last January after a 13-year break. The EU's rush for new trade agreements and renewed focus on Southeast Asia gives Kuala Lumpur unprecedented leverage in its dealings with Brussels.

Source: New Strait Times January 04, 2026 15:15 UTC