Cambodia Moves to Ratify Upgraded ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement as Regional Trade Grows 16%
Cambodia's Council of Ministers has approved a draft law to ratify the Second Protocol upgrading the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, a modernised rulebook that eases rules of origin and speeds up customs as the Kingdom's trade with ASEAN climbs.
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Cambodia has taken a key step towards ratifying the upgraded ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), after the Council of Ministers approved a draft law on the agreement's Second Protocol at its plenary meeting on 23 October 2026, according to the government's Press and Quick Reaction Unit. The approval was highlighted on 25 October by Midnight – Read, which set out what the protocol contains and the steps that remain.
Key points
- The Council of Ministers approved the draft law on the Second Protocol to amend ATIGA on 23 October 2026.
- The protocol has three articles and an annex of 17 chapters and 169 articles.
- It modernises rules on tariffs, rules of origin, customs and standards, and adds chapters on supply chain connectivity.
- The draft law now goes to the National Assembly and the Senate.
- Cambodia's trade with ASEAN reached US$14.26 billion in January–September 2026, up 16%.
The protocol, signed by ASEAN members in Kuala Lumpur in late 2025, consists of three articles and an annex of 17 chapters and 169 articles. The government says it is intended to respond to changes in global trade, modernise the agreement, widen market liberalisation for goods, deepen regional economic ties and give stronger support to micro, small and medium enterprises.
What changes for traders
As reported by Midnight – Read, the upgrade rewrites ATIGA's chapters on tariffs, rules of origin, non-tariff measures, customs and standards, and adds new chapters on supply chain connectivity, transparency and dispute settlement. It eases rules of origin, introduces commitments on green goods, provides for faster clearance of Authorised Economic Operators through mutual recognition, and allows electronic certificates of origin to be accepted across the region.
The government expects Cambodia and ASEAN to gain deeper regional integration, greater market access for ASEAN goods, improved competitiveness and better trade facilitation, along with support for the bloc's least developed members as they prepare for the future of trade.
The draft law will now go to the National Assembly for approval, then to the Senate, before ratification by His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia. Midnight – Read notes that ASEAN ministers' plans point to the upgraded agreement entering into force on 1 June 2027, and that in September ASEAN economic ministers also adopted a voluntary option for members to apply it early.
A growing regional market
The move comes as Cambodia's trade with its ASEAN neighbours expands. Ministry of Commerce figures cited by Midnight – Read show trade with ASEAN reached US$14.26 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 16% on a year earlier and equal to roughly a quarter of the Kingdom's total trade of US$58.48 billion.
For Cambodian exporters, from rice millers to manufacturers, simpler origin rules, paperless certificates and quicker customs procedures could make it cheaper and faster to sell across Southeast Asia, and help Cambodia plug more firmly into Southeast Asian supply chains.
Sources: Press and Quick Reaction Unit, Office of the Council of Ministers, Midnight – Read.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ATIGA Second Protocol?
It is an upgrade to the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, signed in Kuala Lumpur in 2025, that modernises rules on tariffs, rules of origin, customs and standards and adds chapters on supply chain connectivity, transparency and dispute settlement.
When will the upgraded ATIGA take effect?
According to Midnight – Read, ASEAN ministers' plans point to entry into force on 1 June 2027, with an option for members to apply it early.
How much does Cambodia trade with ASEAN?
Cambodia's trade with ASEAN reached US$14.26 billion in January–September 2026, up 16% year on year, according to Ministry of Commerce figures.
