During 16 – 21 March 2025, the Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels was pleased to welcome Mr. Werapong Prapha, Thailand Trade Representative, on his working visit to Brussels to meet with EU institutions, businesses, and trade associations with a view to enhancing Thailand-EU relations and reaffirm the political will towards the Thailand-EU FTA negotiations. 

In addition to delivering the keynote speech at the seminar on the Thailand-EU Strategic Economic Partnership, co-organized by the embassy and the European Institute for Asian Studies on 19 March 2025, meeting with Flanders Investment and Trade and visiting the Port of Antwerp-Bruges on 20 March 2025, Mr. Werapong participated in numerous activities organized by the embassy. This includes meetings with Team Thailand in Brussels, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and high-level representatives of the European Commission who play an important role in promoting Thailand-EU trade relations, such as Mr. Bernd Lange, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA), Ms. Kathleen Van Brempt, Vice Chair of INTA and INTA’s Standing Rapporteur for Thailand on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), representatives from the Cabinet of the Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, the Cabinet of the Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and the EU’s Lead Negotiator in the Thailand-EU FTA Negotiations. 

The embassy also organized meetings between Mr. Werapong and other high-level representatives from the European Commission who play a key role in policy making and implementation of EU legislations on trade and the environment, namely, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR). This includes meetings with representatives from the Directorate-General for Climate Action, the Directorate-General for International Partnerships, and the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union.

Mr. Werapong also met with key private sector stakeholders, including the Vice Chair of the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC), the Secretary General of the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA), and representatives from the Thai Union Group. These meetings provided a platform to exchange insights on how the Thailand-EU FTA could enhance bilateral trade and investment, fostering economic growth and stronger business ties.

Mr. Werapong’s visit to Brussels was timely. It has reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to the FTA negotiations and boosted the positive momentum prior to the 5th round of the Thailand-EU FTA negotiations  scheduled during 31 March – 4 April 2025 in Brussels.