The European Commissioner for Trade announces the acceleration of free trade negotiations with Asia

Singapore – The European Union is accelerating its free trade negotiations with Asia following the imposition of high tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump, announced Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on Wednesday.

Talks with Washington are a priority, but they will not be done “at any cost,” Mr. Sefcovic told reporters in Singapore.

“In the current geopolitical context, we are ensuring that the EU does not put all its eggs in one basket,” he emphasized.

“At the bilateral level, we are speeding up negotiations with Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia,” he added. “We are also intensifying our relations with India. We started a new round of negotiations last week.”

He was speaking in Singapore after the signing on Wednesday of a trade agreement on digital matters between the EU and the city-state. (May 7, 2025)