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EU and Port-au-Prince sign economic partnership agreement
15-Dec-2009 EuroPolitics
By signing, on 11 December, an economic partnership agreement with the EU, Haiti has jointed the fourteen other member states of Cariforum, the organisation of Caribbean countries, that signed the EPA in October 2008.
House approves renewal of Andean trade benefits
15-Dec-2009 Reuters
The US House of Representatives on Monday approved a one-year extension of soon-to-expire trade benefits for Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and a long list of other developing countries.
US-NZ trade talks expected to start in March
15-Dec-2009 TVNZ
US trade officials have formally notified the US Congress of President Barack Obama’s intention to negotiate a regional free trade deal with Vietnam, New Zealand, Singapore, Chile and three other countries in the Asia Pacific area.
RP elections cast cloud on trade pact
14-Dec-2009 Business Mirror
Philippine elections pose uncertainty in the regional tariff regime, with neighbors wondering whether the new government next year can live up to its free-trade commitments with member-countrie
China may displace the US as main trading partner of Peru
14-Dec-2009 Andina
On December 7, Peru’s government ratified a free trade agreement with China, noting that this decision "favors Peru’s interests." Peru is one of China’s major trading partners in Latin America.
Colombia’s dubious strategy to push through an FTA with the European Union
14-Dec-2009 ITUC
The ITUC is appalled at the strategy used by the Colombian government to discredit the ITUC Colombian affiliates – CUT, CGT and CTC – and the National Trade Union School by sending incendiary information from a completely unrepresentative trade union to European Union Members of Parliament.
Haiti signs the CARIFORUM–EU Economic Partnership Agreement
14-Dec-2009 eGovMonitor
Haiti today signed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and joins the fourteen Caribbean States that signed the EPA in October 2008.
Single currency a step closer for ALBA nations
14-Dec-2009 Global Times
The creation of a regional currency among Latin American countries drew closer over the weekend as Cuba agreed to pay for a shipment of Venezuelan rice in sucres – the new currency.
Nigeria, Thailand partner on rice production
14-Dec-2009 This Day
Nigeria and Thailand have commenced negotiation and signing of a bilateral investment agreement in commercial agriculture in Nigeria, particularly in rice production and processing. The cooperation will be in the establishment of rice farms by the Thais in Nigeria’s free trade zones.
India seeks demand list from Asean nations
14-Dec-2009 Economic Times
India has taken the first concrete step towards concluding a deal with the Asean for liberalising trade in services, including cross-border movement of professionals, sending a request list to all Asean members pointing out where exactly the country wants greater access.
Chinese VP hopes to see S. Korea-China FTA
13-Dec-2009 Yonhap
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, widely seen as in line to succeed President Hu Jintao in 2012, said he would like to see a free trade agreement between his country and South Korea in the near future.
Fiji joins EU-Pacific regional trade agreement
12-Dec-2009 Swedish Presidency of the EU
Fiji has today in Copenhagen signed on to the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and the countries of the Pacific.
A brief Q&A with the US trade representative
12-Dec-2009 LA Times
Ron Kirk offers a status report on pending trade agreements and an overview of the administration’s trade strategy
EU: Negotiations between the EU, Central America and the Andean countries concerning patents
12-Dec-2009 EP
According to Latin American trade unions and organisations, patenting has had devastating consequences for biological diversity in several Latin American countries. Yet neither the patent rules proposed in the association agreement between the EU and Central America nor the bilateral trade negotiations taking place between the EU and Colombia and Peru have taken account of such criticism.
FTAs could hurt farmers, too
11-Dec-2009 DNA India
After generic drugmakers, it’s the farmers who are feeling the heat of the intellectual property (IP) regime.
EU: Free trade area around the Mediterranean a priority at trade ministers’ meeting
10-Dec-2009 Swedish Presidency of the EU
The EuroMed meeting in Brussels today adopted a roadmap for the establishment of a free trade area around the Mediterranean starting in 2010. Support was also given for a regional convention with uniform rules on the origin of goods.
EU urged to suspend trade talks with Colombia
10-Dec-2009 EU Politics News
Senior British MEP Richard Howitt has urged the EU to suspend free trade agreement talks with Colombia because of the country´s "profound" human rights "crisis."
Korea, Colombia seek high-level FTA
10-Dec-2009 Korea Herald
Korea and Colombia agreed Wednesday to seal a high-level free trade agreement covering services, investment and other sectors, Seoul’s trade ministry said.
Seoul to chart roadmap for East Asian Union
10-Dec-2009 Korea Times
The Lee Myung-bak administration plans to chart a strategic roadmap for economic integration between Korea, Japan and China, a move that is aimed at taking a lead in efforts to create a regional economic bloc in East Asia.
Trade unionists ask EU not to sign FTA with Colombia
10-Dec-2009 Colombia Reports
Colombian trade unionists on Wednesday asked the EU not to sign an FTA with Colombia due to the human rights violations they believe to have been committed by the Uribe government.