ASEAN Free Trade Area ( AFTA)

Implemented on 1 Jan 1993, AFTA is an agreement aimed at boosting  trade amongst ASEAN members. Among its many benefits, the AFTA Common Effective Preferential Tariff (AFTA CEPT) Scheme is the main mechanism for reducing tariffs and thereby, according businesses price competitiveness for their goods. This Scheme has since been enhanced and superseded by the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), which entered into force on 17 May 2010, to reflect changes in business processes.ATIGA consolidates all commitments related to trade in goods. It focuses not only on tariff elimination and non-tariff measures, but also on simplifying the Rules of Origin and its implementation. Traders already benefiting from the AFTA CEPT Scheme can continue to benefit from the ATIGA. Businesses will be able to save time, lower the costs of doing business in ASEAN and access increased business opportunities.ASEAN Member States are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand (which are collectively known as the ASEAN-6) and Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam (which are collectively.