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UAE, Oman must make new move for FTA, says US
17-Jan-2005 Khaleej Times
The United Arab Emirates and Oman must make new efforts to qualify for proposed free trade pacts with the United States, a US official said on Friday in response to objections raised by labour groups.
Critique of the proposed Chile-New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership (P3 with Singapore)
21-Dec-2004 ARENA
The New Zealand, Chile and Singapore governments are promoting a P-3 whose primary - and arguably only - beneficiaries are the transnational companies that straddle two of the three countries, including opportunists who locate there to take advantage of the deal. The greatest potential beneficiaries are the agribusiness interests of Fonterra and Nestle as they promote their shared strategy to dominate Latin America’s dairy industry.
Release of NZ-Thai CEP agreement texts
21-Dec-2004 Scoop
The New Zealand government today published the text of the Closer Economic Partnership agreement between New Zealand and Thailand.
Labour: The spread of bilateral trade agreements
14-Dec-2004 GURN (135kb PDF)
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.
Japan, Philippines FTA shows foreign worker hurdles
7-Dec-2004 Reuters AlterNet
Japan and the Philippines on Monday clinched a broad free trade agreement (FTA) that would include letting a trickle of nurses into Japan to help cope with a shortage.
Driving a hard bargain: Trade agreements easier said than done
24-Nov-2004 Asahi
Japan is proving a tough negotiator for countries with their hopes pinned on FTAs.
Japan, Philippines reach FTA accord
20-Nov-2004 Japan Times
Japan and the Philippines reached a basic agreement for a bilateral free-trade agreement after striking a deal on the stickiest issue — steel tariffs.
More trade caution seen with Kerry, more deals under Bush
2-Nov-2004 Stuff
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.
Japan, S Korea hold free trade talks amidst demos
1-Nov-2004 AP
Japan and South Korea opened a new round of free trade talks in Tokyo as nearly 150 labor union members from the two countries clashed with police during a demonstration to oppose the deal.
Philippine gov’t reports big progress in talks with Japan
30-Oct-2004 INQ7.net
The Philippines reported significant progress in talks to sign a free-trade pact by the end of the year with Japan.
Japan: FTA talks with 3 nations at crucial stage
29-Oct-2004 Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan’s ongoing negotiations over free trade agreements with Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand are entering a crucial stage.
South Korea: Indefinite general strike planned
25-Oct-2004 GLW
Korean trade union and social organisations have worked together in recent months to stop the Japan-Korea FTA, arguing that it will result in the abolition of more regulations protecting workers rights, and more privatisation of public services. They also say the average citizens’ access to medical treatment and drugs will also be undermined by the FTA’s excuse to “protect” intellectual property rights.
’Change in labour law must for UAE-US FTA’
16-Oct-2004 Khaleej Times
UAE will have to change its labour code to meet international labour laws, revise the agency law and investment / sponsorship rules in order to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US, according to US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.
Japan: FTA deals deadlocked
13-Oct-2004 Asahi.com
Japan’s separate negotiations with Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and South Korea for bilateral free trade agreements have run into a brick wall.
UAE, US move towards FTA
8-Oct-2004 Khaleej Times
The United Arab Emirates and US made significant progress towards a Free Trade Agreement on Wednesday, paving the way for negotiations to start in the near future.
FTA could exacerbate Philippine nurse drain
7-Oct-2004 Japan Times
As the Philippines strives to get Japan to allow in Filipino health-care workers under a free-trade agreement now under negotiation, the country itself could be moving rapidly toward a crisis in which patients suffer as health-care professionals move abroad.
We denounce the Korea-Japan FTA
29-Sep-2004 Social Movements Network
The governments of Korea and Japan have come together today, 350km away from Seoul, for their fifth negotiation to consolidate a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries. Ever since the negotiations were initiated last December, many NGOs and people’s organizations have shown concern over the planned FTA.
Business Urged to Monitor Free-Trade Deals Closely
22-Sep-2004
The National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) urged the business community yesterday to aggressively interrogate government’s action on job security and on the free-trade agreements that were being concluded with other countries.
RENGO Report - requests regarding bilateral trade/investment agreements (2001)
13-Sep-2004
A report from RENGO’s International Department (Japanese Trade Union Centre) about bilateral trade and investment agreements: Japan-Korea Investment Agreement; Japan - Singapore Free Trade Agreement (February 2001)
COSATU wants bilateral trade moratorium
2-Sep-2004 Business Day
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Thursday called for a moratorium on all South Africa’s current bilateral trade agreements, and renewed its plea to the government to consistently pursue economic and trade policies that prioritise job retention and creation.