In pursuing the goal of establishing a single market and production base with free flow of goods by 2015 for the ASEAN Economic Community, a more integrated and holistic approach was required.

This called for the integration and inclusion of existing and additional measures relevant to the trade in goods initiative under one umbrella. To achieve this, the ASEAN Economic Ministers agreed in August 2007 to enhance the Common Effective Preferential Tariff for ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CEPT-AFTA) into a more comprehensive legal instrument

This led to the signing of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) in February 2009.

In 2002, ASEAN launched negotiations to upgrade ASEAN trade in goods agreement ( ATIGA). ATIGA upgrade discussions are now underway to ensure its continued relevance amid emerging trends, and better facilitate ASEAN trade flows, advance regional economic integration, as well as maintain ASEAN centrality in a shifting global environment. AMS are targeting to substantially conclude negotiations by end-2024.