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human rights

Artists and academics in Montréal oppose Canada-Israel free trade agreement in stand for Palestinian rights
9-Jan-2021 BDS Movement
More than 150 artists and academics and over 20 trade unions, cultural organizations, student groups and indigenous collectives in Montréal are calling on the Canadian government to cancel the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement.
Xinjiang forced labour concerns threaten to derail China’s investment deal with EU
21-Dec-2020 South China Morning Post
Officials say European Parliament could refuse to endorse deal over Beijing’s failure to commit to International Labour Organisation standards
EU-China comprehensive agreement on investment: A scoping study
16-Dec-2020 Heinrich Böll Foundation
Given China’s unique position, the study concludes that the EU must ensure that particularly strong protections for EU regulatory policy space are included in any future investment deal.
Deal with climate change, not climate deniers: How the EU-Mercosur trade deal threatens the environment and human rights
14-Dec-2020 Friends of the Earth Europe
This trade agreement aims to boost an export-oriented agricultural model that harms small-scale farmers, indigenous peoples, traditional and rural communities, in Mercosur and EU countries.
Lords vote to revoke UK trade deals with countries committing genocide
9-Dec-2020 The Guardian
Ministers’ scope to sign trade deals with governments that abuse human rights have been severely reduced after a double defeat in the House of Lords.
The EU-Mercosur agreement: increasing pesticide use and GMOs, and undermining healthy food production and standards
8-Dec-2020 IATP
The EU-Mercosur agreement is inconsistent with the EU’s recently announced Farm-to-Fork Strategy, which aims to dramatically reduce pesticide use and completely ban any residue on food of pesticides not registered for use in the EU.
RCEP has limited trade gains and ignores labour and human rights
30-Nov-2020 Australian Institute of International Affairs
Australia’s recent signature of the RCEP has attracted world attention for its significance in consolidating Asia-Pacific geopolitical relations. But in celebrating this agreement, we seem to have forgotten its unfinished business regarding labour and human rights.
Why is Europe quiet about Thailand’s protests?
4-Nov-2020 Asia Times
Sources say that Brussels is keeping its powder dry in case the situation deteriorates further in Thailand. Yet it doesn’t want to annoy Bangkok pre-emptively lest it weakens relations.
Labour rights key to resuming EU-Thailand trade talks
3-Nov-2020 Just-Style
With a possible resumption of talks on the EU-Thailand free trade agreement on the cards, the European Union is being urged to require labour reform as a precondition to negotiations.
EU parks trade deal with Mercosur over environmental concerns
19-Oct-2020 Buenos Aires Times
As European nations express environmental concerns, the ratification of the EU-Mercosur trade deal isn’t even close to starting.
Time is ticking to stop the EU-Mercosur trade deal
24-Sep-2020 Open Democracy
For the EU Commission to remain steadfast in supporting this deal, whilst simultaneously tabling an increase of the EU’s 2030 climate target, is entirely contradictory.
Are EU-China trade relations at a crossroads?
16-Sep-2020 DW
European leaders were angry about Xinjiang camps and the Hong Kong crackdown. A long-awaited EU-China summit produced sharper rhetoric but nothing substantive as the bloc struggles to find a coherent approach to China.
Amazon, Bolsonaro, cattle: the ABC’s of destruction
9-Sep-2020 Greenpeace
The Amazon is under attack but the Canadian government plans to continue negotiating a Canada-Mercosur free trade agreement with Brazil. But you can do something about it.
Rights activists want Swiss-Chinese trade deal to be overhauled
8-Sep-2020 Swiss Info
Campaigners are urging the Swiss government to renegotiate a six-year-old free trade agreement with China to try to improve human rights and labour conditions for its Uighur Muslim minority.
Cambodia loses EU trade privileges as it rushes FTA with China
12-Aug-2020 Nikkei Asian Review
The European Union enforced trade sanctions against Cambodia in response to human rights violations, prompting the government to turn to China.
Calls for Australia to axe free trade deal with Hong Kong amid China crackdown
15-Jul-2020 ABC News
The Federal Government is facing calls to axe its free trade deal with Hong Kong after suspending Australia’s extradition agreement with the city.
Swiss ‘Stop Palm Oil’ plea ready for referendum consideration
3-Jul-2020 Swiss Info
Activists in Switzerland are calling for a ‘Stop Palm Oil’ referendum opposing the Swiss free trade agreement (FTA) with Indonesia. They submitted thousands of signed petitions to the Federal Chancellery in Bern on Monday.
Planned EU trade deal with Mercosur threatens climate, environmental protection and human rights
29-Jun-2020 CIDSE
The agreement could have serious ecological and human rights repercussions, new study warns.
EU failed to consider environmental and social impacts of South American trade deal: complaint
15-Jun-2020 Client Earth
The European Commission has ignored its legal obligation to ensure the trade agreement with the ‘Mercosur’ group of South American countries will not lead to social, economic, environmental degradation and human rights violations.
Democratic-led US House panel opposes any US trade deal with Brazil
4-Jun-2020 Reuters
The US House Ways and Means Committee said it opposed pursuing any type of trade agreement with the Bolsonaro government in Brazil, given its record on human rights and the environment.