ASEAN and Japan have completed the signing of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) Agreement.

A new statutory board, the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore (CRA), will be set up on 2 April 2008, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, to administer and enforce the Casino Control Act.

The United States will join Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore when they negotiate the outstanding investment and financial services chapters of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPSEP, also known as P4), to be launched in early March 2008.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) today announced the discontinuance of the Hotel Safeguarding Policy introduced in 1997. Under the Policy, hotels within designated areas were not allowed to convert to other uses. Hotels located outside these designated areas on the other hand could be converted to other uses such as residential or commercial, subject to planning approval.

The Competition Commission of Singapore (“the Commission”) has today issued its first infringement decision under the Competition Act (“the Act”) against six pest control companies. The companies were found to have infringed section 34 of the Act, which prohibits bid-rigging or collusive tendering.

Singapore and India yesterday signed the Protocol to amend the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) to further liberalise the tariff concessions for Singapore’s exports to India under CECA. The revised tariff concessions will take effect from 15 January 2008.

Singapore and Oman signed an Investment Guarantee Agreement today, during the official visit to Singapore of the Oman Deputy Prime Minister, His Highness Sayyid Fahad Mahmood Al-Said. The agreement demonstrates the growing bilateral relations between the two countries. It will also give investors from both Singapore and Oman greater confidence and protection when investing in the other country. Both countries hope that the agreement will spur an increase in the volume of bilateral investments.

Singapore and Qatar today signed an Agreement on Economic, Commercial and Technical (ECT) Cooperation. Under the Agreement, both parties resolve to promote cooperation in areas such as energy, communications, transportation, construction, labour and tourism. Both sides also seek to encourage and facilitate greater cooperation and exchange between the private sector players of both countries.

More domestic exports from Singapore to India will receive tariff concessions targeted to start from 1 November 2007 following the successful review of the India Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has released a consultation paper on proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA) and its subsidiary legislation to enhance the consumer protection framework in Singapore. The amendments arose from the recommendations made by a taskforce, jointly led by the Consumers Association of Singapore and MTI, that reviewed the CPFTA.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has released a consultation paper on proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA) and its subsidiary legislation to enhance the consumer protection framework in Singapore. The amendments arose from the recommendations made by a taskforce[1], jointly led by the Consumers Association of Singapore and MTI, that reviewed the CPFTA.

Second Reading Speech by Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Minister For Trade & Industry And Deputy Chairman MAS on the Commodity Trading (Amendment) Bill 2007 in Parliament on 17 July 2007.

The new merger regime, which came into force on 1 July 2007, will allow parties to notify their anticipated mergers to the Competition Commission of Singapore for a decision on whether their anticipated merger, if carried into effect, will infringe section 54 of the Competition Act. Completed mergers may also be notified to the CCS for this purpose.

From 01 July 2007 - 31 July 2008, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that meet the eligibility criteria of the SME Rebate Scheme can apply for the rebates online at http://www.smerebate.gov.sg .

The Attorney-General's Chambers invites feedback on its review of the reservation made by Singapore under Article 95 of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods ("CISG"). The issues are discussed in the consultation paper which can be downloaded from www.reach.gov.sg .

Second Reading Speech by Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry for the Competition (amendment) Bill.

In various media reports, President of the SMA Council, Dr Wong Chiang Yin, was quoted as giving the information that it may cost $200,000 to seek a guidance from the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS).

SMA has decided to withdraw the GOF based on advice that it has received from several of its legal advisors. The CCS welcomes this decision.

The Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) understands that the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) has received advice from several of its legal advisors that its Guideline on Fees (GOF) may contravene Section 34 of the Competition Act, and has therefore decided to withdraw its GOF with immediate effect.

The Ministry of Information, Communications & the Arts (MICA) is embarking on a public consultation to seek feedback from the industry and members of the public on the draft Postal Services (Amendment) Bill, which will effect amendments to the existing Postal Services Act.

Singapore and Japan have amended the Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement (JSEPA) to bring about greater liberalisation in trade of goods and services.

The Competition Commission of Singapore (“CCS”) has today (5 March 2007) released its final notice of decision on the Qantas-Orangestar Cooperation Agreement (“Agreement”), following a two-week public consultation which commenced on 13 February 2007. During the public consultation, the CCS received a submission from a member of the public.

Minister of State for Finance Lim Hwee Hua announced in Parliament on Friday, 2 March 2007, that non-public sector entities - including companies, charities, societies and cooperatives - will soon have to comply with accounting standards issued by a new Accounting Standards Board (ASB).

On 25 April 2006, the Cooperation Agreement between Qantas and Orangestar was notified to the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) for a decision on whether it infringes section 34 of the Competition Act (Act). The CCS is of the view that the Cooperation Agreement between Qantas and Orangestar does not infringe section 34 of the Act. The CCS is conducting a public consultation, which takes place from 13 to 27 February 2007, on its draft notice of decision.

The Ministry of Trade & Industry ("MTI") announced that Singapore and the Gulf Co=operation Council (GCC) have agreed to start FTA negotiations.