EFTA and Singapore hold fifth Joint Committee meeting

EFTA and Singapore hold fifth Joint Committee meeting

Delegations from the EFTA States and Singapore convened via videoconference on 15 October 2020 for their fifth Joint Committee meeting under the EFTA – Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Ms Katrín Einarsdóttir, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of Iceland in Geneva acted as EFTA spokesperson while the Singaporean delegation was led by Mr Chua Shun Loong, Director of the North America and Europe Division at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

On 14 October, the Sub-Committee on Customs and Origin Matters exchanged views on the latest developments and possible updates in a number of areas pertaining to rules of origin and other customs matters.

In the Joint Committee, delegations discussed the status of bilateral trade between the EFTA States and Singapore and reviewed possible further developments with regard to market access for processed agricultural products, technical barriers to trade, trade remedies, trade in services, government procurement, intellectual property rights and trade and sustainable development.

EFTA-Singapore merchandise trade was worth USD 9.9 billion in 2019, showing an increase in trade of 20% spanning over the last five years. Among EFTA’s leading exports to Singapore were organic chemicals, clocks and watches, machinery, mechanical appliances and pharmaceutical products. The main import items from Singapore were pharmaceutical products; optical and medicinal instruments; machinery and mechanical appliances.

Find EFTA-Singapore statistics here.

Find the Report and the Agenda of the meeting here:

EFTA Singapore - Fifth Joint Committee meeting Report

EFTA Singapore - Fifth Joint Committee meeting Agenda