ASEAN member states to sign fourth protocol amending Comprehensive Investment Agreement

ASEAN economic ministers are due to meet in Thailand this month, where they will sign a new protocol that would revise their existing, ASEAN-wide investment agreement, as well as their new ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement (ATISA). Negotiations to update both agreements concluded in late 2018.

The upcoming economic ministers’ meeting is scheduled for April 23–24. The updated ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) would include a prohibition on performance requirements, and switch its current list of reservations (which are included in a single annex) to a “two-annex” negative-list approach. It would split its existing list so that non-conforming measures that are in effect would remain on the first annex, while the second annex would detail related sectors or subsectors that would not be liberalized.