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Uzbekistan to join free trade zone by yearend
Uzbekistan will join a CIS free trade zone by the end of this year, CIS steering committee head Sergei Lebedev said on Friday at a CIS heads of government meeting in the Crimean city of Yalta.
US - Panama trade deal to go into force "very soon": USTR Kirk
A long-delayed free trade agreement between the United States and Panama will soon go into force, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said on Friday.
St Kitts and Nevis seeking an extension on EPA deadlines
The St. Kitts-Nevis government remains concerned that it could come out worse off if it starts to implement duty free access for European goods coming into the federation and it is seeking an extension in implementing certain measures under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that it and other Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) countries signed with Europe in 2008.
HK’s first free trade agreement with European economies to enter into force
The Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and the Member States of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA States), namely Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, will soon enter into force, a spokesman of Hong Kong’ government announced Friday.
Regional blocs seek to remove trade barriers
Three regional economic communities (Recs) have taken the lead as Africa seeks to remove trade barriers by 2017.
HK’s 1st European FTA to enter into force
The Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and the Member States of the European Free Trade Association, namely Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, will soon enter into force, a spokesman of Hong Kong’s government announced Friday.
Egypt still considering free-trade zone with Gaza: Hamas official
While Palestinian Authority claims Cairo has ’given up’ on proposal for Egypt-Gaza free-trade zone, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau tells Ahram Online otherwise
Colombian steelworkers plan strikes against FTA with Turkey
Workers from Colombia’s Sintrametal metalworkers union are planning strikes and blockades to call on the government to refrain from signing the free trade agreement being negotiated with Turkey.
Free trade deal with Colombia designed to help Japanese carmakers
Japan is set to begin talks with Colombia on an economic partnership agreement in the hope that it will spur vehicle exports to the third-largest market in Latin America.
Japan, EU may start EPA talks next spring
A senior European Commission official said Tuesday that talks between the European Union and Japan to conclude a bilateral economic partnership agreement will likely begin around March.
Critics decry secrecy, corporate access to Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations
Interview with Ben Beachy, research director with Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, conducted by Scott Harris
US pharma companies could be real beneficiaries of Canada-EU trade deal
Although the EU is asking Canada to change its patent regime, it is not possible to do so just for the EU. The actual beneficiaries would be all of the world’s brand-name companies. Of the world’s top 12 health care companies by revenue only three or four are resident in the EU.
WTO hopes regional integration from Pak-India trade boost
The decision taken by Pakistan and India to scale down tariff to a maximum of 5% and remove all non-tariff barriers (NTBs) by 2020 will lead to regional integration, according to an official of the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation (WTO).
EU Backs Down On EPA Deadline
Namibia, and other ACP countries, are celebrating a victory in trade negotiations after the European Parliament voted to extend the deadline for the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union from January 2014 to January 2016.
MPs move to block signing of EPAs
Legislators, trade experts and analysts have described the delayed signing of the Economic Partnerships Agreement (EPAs) as a detriment to development of trade among developing nations.
Botswana dodges a bullet in EPA talks
Botswana has escaped the imposition of an amendment which would have charged higher duties on the country’s exports to the European Union after 2014 thereby dealing a deathblow to local sectors such as agriculture, minerals and manufacturing.
Not yet Uhuru as long as interests of capitalist economies persist
It cannot be Uhuru yet for Namibia and its partners, or should one say fellow downtrodden countries united in the economic bloc of the African-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) countries.
EAC Sceptical of Trade Agreements With Europe
In his keynote address on the role of multilateral and bilateral trade agreements in fostering trade and development in Africa early this year, former Tanzanian president, Benjamin William Mkapa, raised critical questions and warned East African Community (EAC) countries that signing an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs) would deny the region chances to develop into industrialized nations.
Partners and rivals
Deadlines are to trade negotiators what chastity and continence were to St Augustine: distant aspirations rather than binding obligations. No surprise then that the target of completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) this year will be missed. The 14th round of talks among nine states negotiating this “21st-century” regional trade agreement ended on September 15th. The next, to be held in New Zealand in December, and joined by two new members, Mexico and Canada, will not be the last.
U.S. seeks Internet data flow safeguards in Asia-Pacific trade pact
The United States is asking countries for strong rules to protect the free flow of data, ranging from video clips to back-room office operations, in talks on a Asia-Pacific free trade agreement, a U.S. official said on Friday.