Third Round of Korea-EU FTA Negotiations in Full Swing

Kim Han-soo, Korea’s chief delegate to Korea-EU FTA negotiations, said yesterday, “Now the ‘give-and-take’ negotiations between the two counterparts are beginning in full swing.”

Kim met with reporters yesterday at the Sheraton Brussels Hotel in Belgium, where the negotiations were held.

He said, “The third round will serve as a touchstone that will determine whether the general negotiations will be concluded quickly,” adding, “We expect ‘give-and-take’ negotiations item by item to begin for the first time.”

The two parties wrangled that day over tariff and customs in commodities sector, clearances, trade facilitation, the services sector and e-commerce.

Garcia Bercero, the EU’s chief delegate, said in a photo session that day that the EU is disappointed about the offers made and that there was a long way to go, suggesting that the forthcoming rounds of negotiations will not be easy.

Korea proposed increasing the ratio of goods subject to tariff elimination compared to total imports to 68 percent, up from 63 percent as suggested in the second round of negotiations. The EU sees that as insufficient compared with their offer.

jarrett@donga.com