Asia Expansion Desk

Singapore · Regional expansion

RCEP took effect in six stages on Singapore's timeline

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership took effect for Singapore and nine other original parties on 1 January 2022. Enterprise Singapore records five further country dates, ending with the Philippines on 2 June 2023.

Sources checked

Asia Expansion Desk Editorial Team

Follow RCEP's staggered start datesRCEP milestones in Singapore's official entry-into-force timeline
  1. 15 November 2020
    Agreement signed

    The ASEAN-led agreement was signed before ratification and entry into force. Source 4

  2. 1 January 2022
    First ten parties

    Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Source 1

  3. 1 February 2022
    Republic of Korea

    Second entry-into-force date. Source 1

  4. 4 March 2022
    Myanmar

    Entry date shown by Enterprise Singapore. Source 1

  5. 18 March 2022
    Malaysia

    Entry-into-force date shown by Singapore and Australia. Source 1

  6. 2 January 2023
    Indonesia

    First of the two 2023 entries. Source 1

Show 1 more dates
  1. 2 June 2023
    Philippines

    Last entry date shown in Enterprise Singapore's timeline. Source 1

The agreement began with ten countries. Later dates applied to individual parties.

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Source 4

Ratification produced a staggered start

The original January 2022 group had ten parties, including Singapore, China, Japan and Australia. The Republic of Korea and Malaysia followed in 2022, and ministers later acknowledged the 2023 entry dates for Indonesia and the Philippines. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

Government timelines differ on Myanmar

Enterprise Singapore lists 4 March 2022 as the Myanmar entry date. Australia's foreign affairs department lists the original ten parties, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. For trade involving Myanmar, the relevant importing country's published implementation determines which dates apply. Source 1 Source 2

Cumulation can matter when production crosses borders

Enterprise Singapore describes how originating materials from another RCEP party can count under the agreement's origin rules. A product still needs to meet the applicable product-specific conditions. The use of imported materials by itself does not determine eligibility. Source 1

Entry into force and tariff treatment answer different questions

Entry into force sets when the agreement applies for a party. Tariff treatment depends on the importing market, the product and its origin. Enterprise Singapore's materials distinguish the legal dates, schedules and proof-of-origin steps. Source 1

Sources

Open the data and source notes