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S. Korean lawmakers sound alarm over FTA with Japan
23-Oct-2004 Asia Pulse
A group of lawmakers from South Korea’s ruling party Friday joined the chorus of caution about the possible adverse impact of a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan on the local market.
Japan business leaders want FTA with Chile
23-Oct-2004 Kyodo
The head of the Japanese team on a Japan-Chile economic panel have asked the Japanese government to boost efforts to conclude a bilateral free trade agreement.
Australia may bow to pressure from US drug firms on FTA
22-Oct-2004 Asia Pulse
Prime Minister John Howard may bow to a concerted campaign by American drug companies against the amendments that the government was forced into accepting upon pressure from the Labor Party.
EU-Mercosur free trade agreement: Profits for a few - threats for the majority of our people
22-Oct-2004
While negotiations for a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) remain on hold in relation to the US elections, the governments of the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) are hastily negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU that is also harmful for the region.
EU, Mercosur fail to reach agreement
21-Oct-2004 AFP
Talks between the European Union and the four-nation South American Mercosur trade bloc, aimed at building the world’s largest free-trade area, will be extended into 2005
Agriculture and the Andean FTA: What’s at stake in Colombia?
21-Oct-2004 WOLA
On May 18, 2004, trade representatives from the United States and the Andean region met in Cartagena, Colombia to begin negotiations for a new set of bilateral trade agreements known collectively as the Andean Free Trade Agreement.
e-postcard: ’Stop EPAs’
21-Oct-2004
Sign the e-postcard that will be send to UK Trade Minister Patricia Hewitt...
ESF: Public urged to act on trade agreements
20-Oct-2004 IPS
African and European civil society groups are urging European citizens to put pressure on their governments to halt regional trade agreements between the European Union and developing countries.
Mercosur and Andean Community sign free trade pact
20-Oct-2004 IPS
South America’s two large trade blocs, the Mercosur and Andean Community of Nations (CAN), have signed an agreement to phase out all import tariffs over the next 15 years, with a view towards eventually creating an immense free trade zone in the region.
Bangladesh-Nepal Economic Ties
20-Oct-2004
Excerpts from the welcome address of H.E. Huyamun Kabir, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal, at the Bangladesh Trade Fair, 8 October 2004
EU-Brazil agreement for scientific & technological cooperation (2003)
20-Oct-2004
Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing of the Agreement for scientific and technological co-operation between the European Community and the Federative Republic of Brazil
EU and Syria initial long-awaited association pact
20-Oct-2004 EU Business
The European Union and Syria have initialled an association agreement that commits both sides to work towards free trade — as well as against weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.
EU-Mercosur resume trade talks in Lisbon
20-Oct-2004 MercoPress
The European Union and Mercosur will resume trade negotiations today and decide whether the association agreement — an “utmost geo-strategic and commercial interest” for Brussels — can be reached before November 1 when a new team of European Commissioners takes over in Brussels.
Korean screen quota system in dispute - again
20-Oct-2004 Korea Herald
The dispute about Korea`s screen quota system is flaring up again, with government officials squaring off against the local movie industry over whether the "protectionist" measure should be scrapped.
Stiglitz: New trade pacts betray the poorest partners
19-Oct-2004
In negotiating trade agreements with Morocco, Chile and other countries, the Bush administration has used the same approach that earned us the enmity of so much of the rest of the world. The bilateral agreements reveal an economic policy dictated more by special interests than by a concern for the well-being of our poorer trading partners.
Peru to review ban on Thai rice imports
19-Oct-2004 TNA
Thailand and Peru have edged closer to forming a free trade area (FTA) following discussions between Thai Trade Representative Kantathir Suphamongkhon and Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, in which the Peruvian leader promised to exercise greater trade flexibility with Thailand than with other countries, and to review a ban on the import of Thai rice.
Protective law demanded ahead of Korea-Japan FTA
19-Oct-2004 Korea Times
Korea’s four major business organizations have urged the government to enact a special law ahead of a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan in order to protect domestic companies from negative effects of the pact.
Joint Japan-China study to examine FTA impact
18-Oct-2004 Daily Yomiuri
The Japan External Trade Organization has established a joint research group with a Chinese government institute to examine the possible impact on the Japanese and Chinese economies of a bilateral free trade agreement.
EU demands improved intellectual property protection from Israel
18-Oct-2004 Jerusalem Post
The European Commission has decided to increase pressure on Israel to adopt more stringent intellectual property protection for the benefit of EU pharmaceutical companies.
NGOs fear trade-off in RP-Japan trade talks
17-Oct-2004 Philippine Star
Talks of a possible trade-off between the local agriculture and industrial sectors in the on-going trade negotiations for the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) are worrying various sectors.