Thai-EU FTA Round 9 Progress: 8 Issues Resolved, Market Access Next

Thansettakij•Economy•11d ago

Reader Briefing

Thailand and the EU have made significant strides in their Free Trade Agreement negotiations, with 8 out of 24 chapters finalized in Round 9, and focus now shifting to market access in Round 10 this September.

•Thailand and the EU have finalized 8 issues (4 chapters and 4 annexes) in the 9th round of FTA negotiations, bringing the total finalized chapters to 15 out of 24.
•The 10th round, scheduled for late September 2026, will focus on crucial market access discussions for goods, services, investment, and government procurement.
•Both sides emphasize the need for continued political support and close collaboration to expedite the conclusion of the FTA by the target date of 2026.
•The Thai private sector views the FTA as a mechanism to upgrade the Thai economy and supply chains, while also urging readiness for high-standard European market requirements.

Overview

•The 9th round of Thai-EU FTA negotiations has concluded with progress on 8 issues, bringing the total finalized chapters to 15 out of 24.
•15 out of 24 chapters and related annexes of the Thai-EU FTA have been concluded, representing approximately two-thirds of the agreement.
•Discussions were held with the European Commission on trade, economic security, agriculture, and food on June 24, 2026, in Brussels.
•Ministers from both sides confirmed their commitment to accelerating the conclusion of the Thai-EU FTA negotiations.
•The next round of negotiations (Round 10) is scheduled for late September 2026 in Thailand, focusing on opening markets for goods and government procurement.
•The Ministry of Commerce will convene a working committee meeting to discuss outstanding issues in the FTA negotiations.
•In 2025, the EU was Thailand's 4th largest trading partner, with a total trade value of 45,033.47 million USD.
•Dr. Phoj Aramwattananont stated that the Thai Chamber of Commerce will collaborate with the Ministry of Commerce to gather private sector feedback for ongoing negotiations.

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Source: Thansettakij (Original)

Key Quotes

Supachai

"The Thai-EU FTA is a significant opportunity for Thailand, but simultaneously a major challenge for the Thai business sector."

การเจรจาFTA ไทย-EU เป็นโอกาสสำคัญของประเทศไทย แต่ในขณะเดียวกันก็เป็นโจทย์ใหญ่ของภาคธุรกิจไทย

Dr. Phoj Aramwattananont

"The Thai-EU FTA must be a tool that entrepreneurs can genuinely use, not just a policy agreement."

FTA ไทย-EU จะเป็นเครื่องมือที่ผู้ประกอบการใช้ได้จริง ไม่ใช่เป็นเพียงความตกลงในเชิงนโยบาย

Key Entities

Place

Thailand(ไทย)ℹ️

The country involved in the Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the EU.

Organization

European Union(EU)ℹ️

The economic and political union negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with Thailand.

Ministry of Commerce(กระทรวงพาณิชย์)ℹ️

The government ministry responsible for leading the FTA negotiations and organizing related meetings.

Department of International Trade Negotiations(กรมเจรจาการค้าระหว่างประเทศ)

A department within the Ministry of Commerce tasked with conducting international trade negotiations, including the Thai-EU FTA.

European Commission(คณะกรรมาธิการยุโรป)ℹ️

The executive branch of the European Union, represented in discussions regarding the Thai-EU FTA.

Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand(หอการค้าไทยและสภาหอการค้าแห่งประเทศไทย)

The representative body for the Thai private sector that is actively involved in providing feedback and support for the FTA negotiations.

Person

Supachai(นางศุภจี)

A key speaker in the article, providing commentary on the progress and importance of the Thai-EU FTA negotiations.

Dr. Phoj Aramwattananont(ดร.พจน์ อร่ามวัฒนานนท์)

The Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand, providing insights on the private sector's perspective on the FTA.

Law

Thai-EU FTA(FTA ไทย-EU)

The Free Trade Agreement being negotiated between Thailand and the European Union.