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Ecuadorians can sue Chevron in Canada, Supreme Court rules
4-Sep-2015 The Globe and Mail
Ecuadorian villagers can sue Chevron and its Canadian subsidiary in an Ontario court to enforce a $9.5-billion (U.S.) judgment from Ecuador.
Trading up for a better deal than Trans-Pacific pact
24-Aug-2015 Las Cruces Sun-News
As the dust settles on the fight in Congress over Fast Track authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, we have an opportunity to think anew about what good trade policy could be.
European Parliament says REACH must not be included in TTIP
29-Jul-2015 ITRI
Chemical Watch reports that the European Parliament has asked the European Commission not to negotiate on issues related to REACH and its implementation in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US.
Groups demand rejection of anti-climate provision in Customs Bill
29-Jul-2015 Center for International Environmental Law
A coalition of environmental and fair trade organizations are protesting the inclusion of language in the “Customs bill” in the US Congress that would explicitly prevent the United States Trade Representative from seeking to address climate change in trade agreements.
Statement by Bechtel on Dabhol settlement
19-Jul-2015 Bechtel
In exchange for $160 million in compensation for its equity and contractor claims, Bechtel agreed to forgo international arbitration over the expropriation of its investment.
Tokyo urges Manila to accept Fukushima farm produce
16-Jul-2015 Manila Times
Tokyo is pressing Manila to relax its import restrictions on farm products from the Fukushima prefecture in exchange for more trade concessions under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, the Department of Agriculture revealed on Wednesday.
TTIP aim to lift US oil export ban goes against climate targets
3-Jul-2015 The Guardian
EU push to lift restrictions on US crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports as part of controversial trade deal could explode Canada’s tar sands carbon bomb and push up carbon emissions
The FIPA with China restricts Canada’s options on climate change
1-Jul-2015 Globe and Mail
For years, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government told Canadians that it could not act on climate change until China joined in. Yet, in 2014, the government quietly finalized a 31-year investment treaty that, in essence, gives Chinese oil companies an advance bailout against a range of steps that Canada may need to take on climate change.
AFTINET: Reply to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Myths and Realities document, June 2015
30-Jun-2015 Scoop
The Australian government misrepresents the claims of critics and fails to address substantial criticisms of the Trans Pacific Partnership, says civil society network AFTINET.
Can free trade agreements be consistent with climate change mitigation?
26-Jun-2015 Huffington Post
Free trade agreements could elevate the rights of possession of fossil fuel resources above that of mitigating climate change.
Canada-EU trade deal would hinder policies to address climate change
24-Jun-2015 rabble.ca
The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) would worsen climate change, explains Brent Patterson.
With the new House bill, even Obama might not want the Obama trade agreement
19-Jun-2015 Think Progress
The Republican-led US House of Representatives voted to give President Obama authority to negotiate trade agreements, passing the so-called fast-track bill with the assistance of just 28 House Democrats on Thursday. The Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill, which was decoupled from a labor program, will now go back to the Senate for approval.
MEPs threaten to block trade deal over rights to regulate carbon emissions
9-Jun-2015 The Guardian
European parliament will ‘never consent’ to a Trade in Services Agreement that could bypass emissions limits for airlines and ships, senior figures warn
US-Peru free trade deal failed to enforce environmental norms
5-Jun-2015 TeleSUR
An Environmental Investigation Agency report undermines the Obama administration’s argument that free trade helps protect the environment.
US DoE grants export authorisation for Alaska LNG Project
2-Jun-2015 Hydrocarbons Technology
Alaska can now export liquified natural gas (LNG) to countries with which the US does not have a free trade agreement - such as Japan, Taiwan, China and India.
The hidden costs of trade treaties
29-May-2015 Zeit
The free trade treaties with Canada (CETA) and the United States (TTIP) are not threatening European standards, the negotiators in Brussels assure us. Yet environmental and food safety regulations have already been weakened.
China is a “major driver” of environmental degradation in Latin America
27-Apr-2015 Diálogo Chino
China’s increased trade and investment in Latin America over the past decade has resulted in powerful social and environmental impacts such as job losses and pollution.
Chevron’s secret videos show company technicians finding and mocking extensive oil contamination in Ecuador rainforest
9-Apr-2015 Amazon Watch
An apparent Chevron whistleblower has sent Amazon Watch dozens of internal company videos showing Chevron employees and consultants manipulating evidence linked to the oil giant’s extensive contamination - and legal dispute - in Ecuador.
Chevron’s "fight it out on the ice" strategy for Ecuador case is slipping, fast
28-Mar-2015 Huffington Post
In Chevron’s massive international arbitration directly against the government of Ecuador, it has gotten everything it has asked for from the panel of arbitrators — until last week.
Germany worries about TTIP’s impact on environmental standards
27-Mar-2015 Chemical Watch
The German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) is worried that the stated aim of the EU-US negotiations for a free trade agreement to bring regulations and standards as close together as possible, may lower environmental standards in the EU.