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EU pushes for speedier FTA with Asean
19-Nov-2008 Bernama
The European Union has called on members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations to speed up efforts in negotiating for the free trade agreement between the two blocks.
Out of order
19-Nov-2008 FDI Magazine
Is there a backlash brewing against the international legal system used by states and investors to settle FDI disputes? For several years, lawyers and academics have been debating whether the current system - consisting of more than 2600 bilateral investment protection treaties - is ensuring the security and protection of investor assets and contracts without unnecessarily handcuffing the sovereignty of governments to regulate business activity within their borders.
Japan trade pact talks move forward
19-Nov-2008 Business Standard
The negotiations for the India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) have gained momentum with the two sides moving towards a deal on allowing Indian companies that make low-cost drugs to sell in Japan.
Korea seeks FTAs with S. American nations
19-Nov-2008 Korea Times
President Lee Myung-bak called Tuesday for the launch of negotiations on a free trade agreement between South Korea and the Southern American Common Market, called MERCOSUR, involving Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil. In a separate interview with a Peruvian newspaper, Lee said he would declare the beginning of free trade negotiations with Peru.
Chile free trade deal under fire
19-Nov-2008 Weekly Times
Australian horticulturalists have launched a scathing attack on the Federal Government following its vote to allow free trade with Chile.
SA labour protests Western Sahara inclusion in EU-Morocco deal
18-Nov-2008 Afrol
A global protest campaign, contesting occupied Western Sahara’s inclusion in a Morocco-European Union (EU) free trade deal is gaining momentum. Today, South Africa’s dominant labour union COSATU told the EU it was breaking international law by its planned inclusion of the territory.
Dealing with a bad deal: Two years of DR-CAFTA in Central America
18-Nov-2008 COHA
Two years have now passed since some Central American countries implemented DR-CAFTA’s mandates, and governments, farmers, and workers across the region are beginning to suffer the consequences of an unfair deal.
Family wins payout for SKorean protester killed by police
18-Nov-2008 AFP
A South Korean court ruled Tuesday that the government should compensate the family of a farmer who was fatally injured by police during a protest against free trade.
Lima under lockdown for Asia-Pacific summit
18-Nov-2008 AFP
Top officials from the Pacific rim were arriving Tuesday for free-trade talks in Peru’s capital Lima, which was under a security lockdown for US President George W. Bush’s last scheduled foreign trip.
China, Costa Rica to launch trade talks
18-Nov-2008 AP
China and Costa Rica will launch free trade talks in January and hope to seal a deal by 2010, Chinese President Hu Jintao said Monday during his first visit to a Central American country.
China seeks to cement trade clout with Latin America
18-Nov-2008 Guardian
Hu Jintao and scores of business people sweep through Latin America to reinforce Beijing’s economic power in the region
Australia and China to speed up free trade deal talks
18-Nov-2008 The Australian
Kevin Rudd said he could not set a deadline for the completion of an FTA with China, but that the depth of the financial crisis had hardened their mutual determination to seal a deal.
Africa FTA talks lined up
18-Nov-2008 Gulf Daily News
The prospect of Free Trade Agreements (FTA) between the Gulf and African countries will be discussed at a major conference in Bahrain next month. Hundreds of government officials, bankers and investors are expected to attend.
Divide to conquer
18-Nov-2008 RMR
The constant pression exerted by the European Union on the countries of the Andean Community of Nations to reach an FTA under an Association Agreement caused that, while Peru and Colombia decided to follow that path, Ecuador and Bolivia are excluded from the negotiations, similarly to the US imposition of FTAs.
European Parliament gets active in the EU-India FTA talks
18-Nov-2008 New Europe
The European Parliament’s International Trade Committee is to visit India shortly to discuss the progress of ongoing negotiations between the European Union and India on a free trade agreement
Pak-India investment treaty urged
15-Nov-2008 The News
President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Tariq Sayeed, has urged the governments of Pakistan and India to sign a ‘Bilateral Investment Treaty’ to foster economic cooperation which will also motivate other countries of the region to promote intra-regional trade and investment.
Obama not likely to renegotiate NAFTA, ex-diplomat says
14-Nov-2008
President-elect Barack Obama will likely find a way to back off his election campaign promise to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, a former Canadian ambassador to both the U.S. and France said here Thursday.
Ecuador seeks EU trade talks as neighbors move on
13-Nov-2008
Ecuador wants to negotiate a trade deal with the European Union, reversing its preference for group talks a day after neighboring Colombia and Peru abandoned efforts at a regional partnership in favor of their own deals with the European bloc.
Comesa summit on Customs Union called off
13-Nov-2008
The proposed regional Customs Union could be in jeopardy following the postponement of a crucial Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa) summit scheduled for next month.
Bahrain calls for stepping up free trade deal talks
13-Nov-2008
Bahrain yesterday called for GCC-EU member states to fast-track the Free Trade Agreement. "Such a deal would send GCC-EU economic co-operation to new heights," Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Dr Essam Fakhro yesterday said.