Europe and Russia’s new trade alliances with Asia

The representatives of Indonesia and the European Union met in Jakarta to discuss a trade agreement to open market access and increase trade between these international players. This is the 13th round of talks on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which began in 2016. The points of contention include Indonesian authorities’ complaints about European environmental regulations, such as deforestation. The EU is looking for new partners in Southeast Asia. It has already established trade alliances with Singapore and Vietnam, and while talks with Malaysia and the Philippines have been put on hold, there is an opportunity to resume them.

India, France and the United Arab Emirates will create a trilateral form of cooperation with a special focus on defence, energy and climate change. Among other things, it will serve as a forum to promote cooperation in the field of energy, with an emphasis on solar and nuclear power, combating climate change and protecting biodiversity, especially in the Indian Ocean region. The countries will also develop military, academic, research and technological cooperation.

The authorities of Myanmar and Rosatom, the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, are developing cooperation in the nuclear power sector. It is a step toward filling energy shortages in this strife-torn Southeast Asian country. Myanmar hopes to build and operate the reactor under an initial agreement with Rosatom, signed in 2015 and inaugurated a nuclear information centre.