[In-person] Masterclass: Understanding Why Singapore’s Network of FTAs are Relevant to Legal Practice

No. of Public CPD Points: 12.0 Practice Area: International Law Training Level: General Notice: SILE Attendance Policy for CPD Points

Note: This in-person Masterclass will consist of a mix of sharing and hands-on discussions. Participants are required to participate actively. The class size is kept small (maximum 24 participants) to allow for optimal interaction between the speakers and participants.

About the Programme

Singapore has a network of 26 bilateral and regional Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with 65 trading partners that account for more than 80% of our trade. These agreements give companies incorporated in Singapore an economic competitive edge by providing them with a gateway to easier entry and greater access to global markets for their products and services. More importantly, companies can ride on these agreements to trade with and invest in other countries with more certainty, amidst increasing trade tensions. Covid-19 has also raised awareness of the dangers of over focussing our supply chains in just one market. These agreements give companies more leeway to diversify and expand their businesses into different overseas markets as they provide an easier entry methodology that will also allow them to gain a competitive advantage over companies that operate in other countries by improving profitability, amongst other things.

Companies that operate in Singapore stand to benefit greatly from our extensive network of FTAs and should thus be strategically positioned to tap on these Agreements.

The legal profession is one of the key partners for businesses in advising how to tap on this network of FTAs and how to structure their contracts of supply (both goods and services), M&A deals in terms of leveraging on the investment provisions in the FTAs as well as other issues that could add value to doing business with a Singapore company under this network of FTAs. As Singapore has been negotiating FTAs for more than 20 years, the provisions have also evolved to take into account newer business concerns and practices such as e-Commerce, sustainable environment, labour etc. in our newer regional FTAs. Lawyers with an appreciation of these issues have the potential to guide their clients into tapping into these economic opportunities.

This course will help you gain a better appreciation of the opportunities that can be unlocked by Singapore’s FTA network.

Program Highlights

• Overview of FTAs
• Understanding Trade in Goods Provisions in the FTAs and its utility for business when entering into contracts
• FTA advantages for our services sector in terms of understanding how services are classified and how services liberalisation is reflected in FTA commitments
• What benefits does an investment chapter provide to business?

Please note that this programme will be conducted subject to a minimum number of registrations being met. In the event that the programme has to be cancelled or postponed, we will do our best to inform all affected participants at the earliest opportunity via email. Refunds will be made through the method of payment that was originally used for registration, and details of the refund will be communicated to affected participants via email.

For more information, please click here for the publicity brochure.

For other CPD events, please visit the LawSoc CPD Portal.