bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

All articles


Support early conclusion of FTA with GCC: India to Kuwait
India today urged Kuwait to support its efforts for early conclusion of talks for the proposed free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Stephen Harper says EU-style deal not possible with China
A sweeping trade deal similar to the tentative agreement Canada has with the European Union wouldn’t be possible with China, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.
ASTEP increases bilateral investment, trade: minister
The economic partnership agreement between Taiwan and Singapore inked yesterday is likely to benefit manufacturing as well as to promote bilateral investment and trade, Economic Affairs Minister Chang Chia-juch (張家祝) said yesterday.
RBC and Capital Economics challenge Harper’s CETA claims
Harper’s slam-dunk argument for the Canada-European Union ’free trade’ agreement, often uncritically reported in the media, is that the ’Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement’ is key to Canada’s economic prosperity. The Canadian Press reports, "The government continues to quote a joint study on the impact, conducted five years ago, projecting a possible $12 billion boost to economic activity in Canada — $16 billion for the EU — and the creation of about 80,000 jobs. ...Trade Minister Ed Fast said that, if anything, the joint study underestimated the gains."
Firm Comesa Trade Laws Needed, Says Veep
Vice-President Guy Scott has said there is need to put in place a strong legal framework that will promote free and fair trade within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Govt to cough up Rs90m for ICSID case
The federal government, which is facing financial crisis and seeking loans from IMF and other financial institutes, is willing to pay Rs90 million to a Pakistani law firm to plead its case in an international court.
Plea to extend Comesa tariffs
Former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi has asked the government to seek an extension of the Comesa safeguards to protect the local sugar industry from excessive imports from the Comesa region.
Inclusion of labour norms on the rise in FTAs: ILO study
As the world moves into a regime where free trade agreements (FTAs) govern 5.5 per cent of global trade compared with 0.6 per cent in 1995, a new ILO report finds a marked rise in inclusion of labour provisions in bilateral and regional pacts.
Commerce min says all’s well with FTAs
The ministry of commerce is under pressure to review its policy of signing foreign trade agreements (FTAs) with other nations as they have been seen to be having a negative impact on trade dynamics.
Ottawa challenged to release internal estimates of Europe free-trade drug costs
The federal government won’t release internal documents that may predict potential higher drug costs for Canadians under new patent rules agreed to in the free-trade deal with Europe, Trade Minister Ed Fast says.
Taiwan, Singapore sign free-trade pact
Taiwan yesterday signed a far-reaching free-trade agreement (FTA) with Singapore — the first of its kind with a Southeast Asian country — in a move the government said would boost the nation’s efforts to pursue further economic engagement with trading partners bilaterally and multilaterally.
Govt discusses possibility of having more FTAs
With the economy facing bad times, government today explored the possibility of having more free trade agreements with various countries at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here.
Peru, Israel foster agriculture cooperation, eyeing for FTA
Peru and Israel have signed a declaration aimed at increasing agriculture cooperation and optimization of water resources, striving towards a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Peru’s Agriculture and Irrigation Ministry (Minagri) has reported.
Canada-EU trade agreement presages IP reform
The far reaching provisions of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union will have considerable impact on Canada’s IP regime.
Berlin seeks privacy rules in EU-US trade pact
Germany is to push for tough data protection controls to be included in a proposed EU-US free trade pact in the latest sign of the growing impact of the outrage triggered by Washington’s mass surveillance and concerns about industrial espionage.
Vietnam, Israel Looking towards Bilateral Free Trade Agreement
Vietnam and Israel would soon discuss a possible bilateral free trade agreement to accelerate two-way trade in the future.
Argentina settles five outstanding investment treaty arbitration claims in historic break with its anti-enforcement stance
Argentina has agreed to settle five separate investment treaty arbitration claims at a cost of around USD 500 million, in an historic departure from the Latin American state’s refusal to comply with awards made by international investment treaty arbitration bodies.
Canada ratifies World Bank’s ICSID Convention
Canada has confirmed its ratification of the World Bank’s ICSID Convention by depositing its “Instrument of Ratification” with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes on Nov. 1, 2013.
Philippines to pursue two FTAs in Europe
The Government is sending a team to Europe later this month for talks about possible free trade agreements (FTA) with two European blocs, a Trade official said last week. "We will be sending a delegation to Europe third or fourth week of November to continue technical discussions on a possible Philippines-EU (European Union) FTA in Brussels and Philippines-EFTA (European Free Trade Association) FTA in Geneva," Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal, Jr. told reporters last week.
CTU reinforces stance against TPP
NZ Council of Trade Unions boss Helen Kelly has upped the ante ahead of a crucial Labour Party debate tomorrow on the controversial trans-Pacific Partnership deal by reiterating union opposition.