ASEAN Trade Ministers Let Members Apply Upgraded ATIGA Trade Rules Early
ASEAN's 10 members agreed to let countries voluntarily apply an upgraded regional trade agreement ahead of its 2027 entry into force, a priority the Philippines pushed during its ASEAN chairship.
ASEAN's ten member states issued a declaration this week allowing countries to voluntarily apply an upgraded version of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) ahead of its formal entry into force in June 2027, at a trade ministers' meeting held in Manila.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque pushed fellow ministers to move quickly in adopting the revised pact, which is meant to simplify customs procedures, strengthen dispute-settlement and transparency rules, and let businesses use electronic certificates of origin and digital trade documents instead of paper filings. The early-application option was framed as a priority of the Philippines' current ASEAN chairship, aimed at making the regional trading environment more predictable for businesses.
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