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bilateralism & multilateralism


Stiglitz raps bilateral trade pacts
Unilateralism, in which the largest economies, notably the United States, impose their will on smaller ones, is the main driver for the proliferation of bilateral trade agreements and represents a growing risk for the global economy, according to Joseph Stiglitz, the 2001 Nobel laureate for economics.
Competitive Liberalization and a US-SACU FTA
This paper evaluates a possible US-SACU (Southern African Customs Union) free trade agreement as part of a US approach to new preferential trade agreements characterized by the term ’competitive liberalization.’
Japan adopts FTA policy focusing on partners in Asia
The government on Tuesday approved a basic plan to promote free-trade agreements, prioritizing accords with Asian trading partners to help build an East Asian community. It also adopted a set of 12 criteria to choose potential FTA partners, envisioning future negotiations with trading partners outside East Asia.
Labour: The spread of bilateral trade agreements
This report looks at major Customs Unions, Free Trade Areas, and economic association agreements around the world, with particular attention to any clauses covering social issues, core labour standards and trade union participation.
Tectonic trends in trade [Christian Science Monitor viewpoint]
Two political tremors in recent days reveal that the global trading system may be creaking and groaning into isolated blocs of countries - without the United States.
Free trade at a heavy cost for India
The recently signed India-Thailand FTA has stirred a hornet’s nest in India. It is being argued that India has shown unnecessary haste in signing the agreement without fully comprehending its economic implications for Indian industry.
India: Bilateral pacts to go beyond trade
In a major policy shift, the government has decided to convert all preferential/free trade agreements (PFA/FTA) into comprehensive economic cooperation agreements (Ceca).
Govt cautioned not to rush FTAs
Proponents and opponents of free-trade agreements stood firm Tuesday on their respective positions, while a government adviser warned against completing negotiations in haste.
Agriculture reforms go against Korea’s grain
In excluding agriculture from FTA negotiations, the South Korean government is setting itself up for even greater domestic backlash when multilateral negotiations pry open a sector insulated from any form of competition.
EIU: Free-trade free-for-all
If proof were needed that an Asian free-trade "arms race" has begun in earnest, then the 10th ASEAN summit in Vientiane on November 29th-30th provided it in abundance. The highlight of the summit was the signing of an FTA between China and ASEAN, but equally striking was the number of other trade pacts that were, variously, agreed, worked on or proposed during the meeting in the Lao capital.
India, WTO lock horns over FTAs
India made it clear on Monday that it would aggressively push for more regional trade agreements, though it attached importance to the multilateral trading system.
A serendipitous exception in FTAs
At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Chile last weekend, leaders discussed economic issues, especially trade. Singapore and Peru, for example, agreed to initiate talks for a free trade agreement.
APEC leaders duck free-trade plan
Asia-Pacific leaders have ducked a call from business advisors to study an ambitious FTA among APEC members.
New World Bank study on regional and bilateral trade agreements
This report addresses two questions: What are the characteristics of agreements that strongly promote-or hinder-development for member countries? Does the proliferation of agreements pose risks to the multilateral trading system, and how can those risks be managed?
Andean nations clash with US on patenting life forms
Access to genetic resources in South America’s Andean region, which holds a quarter of the planet’s biodiversity, is a point of discord in the free trade agreement that the United States has been negotiating with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru since May.
Lockwood Smith: Second-term Bush presidency good for world trade
While terrorism and security are, for good reason, high in people’s minds right now, global trade developments are critically important for New Zealand over the next two to three years.
ABAC: Assessment of the Proposal for an FTAAP
An Issues Paper for the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC)
More trade caution seen with Kerry, more deals under Bush
An election win for Senator John Kerry could make the United States tougher and more cautious on trade, while a victory for President George W Bush would keep the country on the path to more deals, experts say.
Bush won’t dissolve sugar jobs
Handled with care. That is the best way to describe how the Bush administration has dealt with sugar in America’s international trade agreements.
Philippines: No systematic framework for FTA negotiations yet
The Philippines has yet to adopt a systematic framework that would govern its negotiations for bilateral free-trade agreements (FTAs) with other countries, according to two economic analysts.