Malaysia-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA): Revival in Focus

Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim's recent visit to Brussels has reignited negotiations for the Malaysia-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), marking a pivotal step in fostering stronger economic ties with one of the world’s largest trading blocs. 

In the latest episode of BFM's Morning Brief this morning, our CEO, Mr. Karl Godderis, shared his insights on this historic revival, addressing the opportunities and challenges in strengthening bilateral ties between Malaysia and the EU.

"The resumption of FTA negotiations is a timely and strategic step forward in today’s dynamic global trade environment. By fostering deeper ties between Malaysia and the EU, this agreement has the potential to streamline trade flows and counter global challenges such as rising tariff barriers. It also opens new avenues for economic growth and collaboration, especially in key sectors like the Green Economy and Digitalisation." – Mr Karl Godderis, EUROCHAM Malaysia CEO.

🎧 Listen to the full interview here: https://www.bfm.my/content/podcast/malaysia-eu-fta-trade-negotiations

We’re excited to announce the EU-Malaysia Business Day 2025: Penang in Focus—a premier platform for fostering EU-Malaysia business collaborations. 

📅 Thursday, 13 February 2025 

⏰ 8 AM – 11 PM

📍 Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang 

 Don’t miss out! Click here to secure your spot today — https://app.glueup.com/event/eu-malaysia-business-day-2025-penang-in-focus-130184/

#EUMalaysia #FTA #TradeNegotiations #EconomicPartnership  #EUMYstrongertogether #eurochammy

Highlighting Industrial Synergy at the CEO Series 2025

On 16th January 2025, we were honored to have our Chairman, Mr. Peter Lenhardt, represent EUROCHAM Malaysia as a panel speaker at the CEO Series 2025: Annual Property Developers Conference, themed “The Role of Industrial Development in Strengthening Malaysia’s Position as a Preferred European Investment Destination.”

Sharing the stage with distinguished experts, including: 

📌 Mr. Lee Heng Guie, Executive Director of SERC 

📌 Ms. Sarah Tan, Economist at Moody's Analytics Singapore 

📌 Mr. Alan Tan, Group Chief Economist at Affin Group 

📌 Moderated by Datuk Seri Dr. Michael KC Yam, Co-chairman of Triterra Sdn Bhd 

EUROCHAM Malaysia at Forum Ekonomi Malaysia 2025

EUROCHAM Malaysia Vice Chairman II, Ms. Pauline Goh recently attended the impactful Forum Ekonomi Malaysia, where the plenary hall was packed with leaders and experts exploring critical economic topics.

🇲🇾 With Malaysia as the Chair of ASEAN 2025, this forum couldn’t have come at a better time! YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, emphasised the importance of ASEAN as the 4th Economic Bloc in the world, stressing economic pluralism and growth focused on education, healthcare, and infrastructure to bridge societal gaps. 

Strengthening EU-Malaysia Ties in Penang! 🌿 

This week, EUROCHAM Malaysia CEO, Mr. Karl Godderis, visited key government agencies in Penang to gear up for the much-anticipated EU-Malaysia Business Day 2025: Penang in Focus happening on 13 February 2025. 

Engaging discussions were held with: 

✅ Penang Green Council: Ms. Josephine Tan, Dr. Ng Shin Wei, and Ms. Carmen Wong on sustainability strategies. 

✅ Invest Penang: Dato’ Loo Lee Lian, Lee You Chek, Chen William, and Ms. Elain Cheah on EU investment opportunities. 

✅ NCER Malaysia: CEO Mohd Haris Nader Sultan, Zainal Azman Bin Abu Karim, and Amir Sharifuddin Bin Nayodin on future initiatives. 

Driving Collaboration in the Automotive Sector! 

EUROCHAM Malaysia recently hosted an Automotive Sector Committee meeting, uniting key industry leaders and stakeholders. Chaired by the Head of the Committee, Mr. Ts. Thayalan Subramaniam, the meeting featured notable contributions from committee members Mr. David Lantz, Ms. Ee May Yeoh, and representatives from the EU Delegation to Malaysia, Mr. Denis Baresch and Mr. Pekka Penttila. 

📈 Highlights included: 

- A comprehensive review of previous engagements. 

- Discussions centered on fostering collaboration and driving growth within the automotive sector. 

EUROCHAM Malaysia had the pleasure of engaging with the inspiring team at Scania Malaysia yesterday! 

A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Joyce Antar, Mr. Ian Tan, Mr. David Lantz, Mr. Idros Puteh, and Mr. Shahril Othman for your warm hospitality and hosting us at your office. 

The session featured an insightful presentation by Ms. Joyce Antar, offering an in-depth perspective on Scania’s global and regional operations, paving the way for meaningful discussions on advocacy priorities.