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S. Korea, EU to announce conclusion of FTA later Monday: official
13-Jul-2009 Yonhap
South Korea and the European Union (EU) have reached agreement on a proposed free trade deal, leaving only initialing and signing of the agreement before it can be submitted to their respective legislatures for ratification, a South Korean official said Monday.
South Korea-EU FTA’s poisonous articles
13-Jul-2009 Hankyoreh
Although the Lee Myung Bak administration is not revealing any concrete details, if you look at the draft agreement that has been unofficially confirmed, the content of the South Korea-EU FTA is just as worrisome as that found within the FTA with the US.
INTERATUN rejects EU-Papua New Guinea accord
11-Jul-2009 FIS
The Inter-Professional Tuna Organisation (INTERATUN) warns that the European tuna fishing industry is in trouble if the European Union Agriculture and Fisheries Council approves the EU-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement on Monday, 13 July
EU says SA ‘bullying’ neighbours
10-Jul-2009 Times of Swaziland
It seems the problems emanating from the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are far from over, as SA and EU have started exchanging strong ‘words’.
Namibia: Civil society supports EPA stand
10-Jul-2009 New Era
Civil society is rallying behind Government in its decision to take on the European Commission, lobbying for support not to sign the interim economic partnership agreement until the EC puts agreed trade concessions on infant industry protection, food security, export taxes and free goods flow in writing.
’EU plans to capture African market’
10-Jul-2009 AllAfrica.com
The European Union does not have an offensive commercial interest in the Economic Partnership Agreement. Rather, it is part of its strategic plan and policy to capture the African market, the Special Adviser to the President of NEPAD has said.
EU-South Korea trade pact marks trouble, Ford says
10-Jul-2009 Reuters
A proposed trade pact between South Korea and the European Union is one-sided and could threaten automobile manufacturing in Western Europe, a top Ford Motor Co executive said on Thursday.
Empty coasts, barren seas
10-Jul-2009 GRAIN
In this article, GRAIN investigates how Asia’s small fishers stand under the proposed EU–ASEAN free trade agreement (FTA).
Namibia’s EPA stance worries EU
8-Jul-2009 New Era
Not only is the European Union (EU) uncomfortable with Namibia’s ambiguity on interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), but it is also concerned about the possibility of a legal challenge over Namibia’s access to duty-free quota free since last year.
S Korea-EU FTA imminent
8-Jul-2009 Xinhua
The South Korea-European Union free trade agreement is at the final stage of negotiations, Yonhap reported Wednesday.
India-EU FTA suffers the ennui of vested interests
8-Jul-2009 Business Standard
Even the most optimistic amongst those involved in the process admit the talks to be in a deadlock that neither side has the political will to break.
The throes of the third round of negotiations of the FTA of Colombia & Peru with the EU
8-Jul-2009 Anarkismo.net
Analysis of the third round of egotiations of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and the Andean countries (Ecuador, Peru and Colombia).
Free trade deal will cost Ethiopia, warns researchers
7-Jul-2009 Nazret.com
The Ethiopian Government is debating whether to sign the EPA with the EU, as it has concerns about the effect it will have on its fragile industries. Research shows negative implications for women, agriculture and manufacturing.
Namibia: No EPA deal on Swakop issues
5-Jul-2009 The Namibian
The European Union has not agreed to include trade concessions made at the Swakopmund negotiations in the interim economic partnership agreement, but intends to look at the rules of origin provisions to prevent the breakup of the Southern African Customs Unions
FTA with Vietnam set as EU priority under Swedish presidency
5-Jul-2009 VOV News
The European Union is moving ahead with negotiations on a free trade agreement with Vietnam. The process is expected to be completed by October 2010, as the pact is now an EU priority under the new Swedish presidency.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa on Democracy Now!
30-Jun-2009 DN!
"I reiterate, we’re not negotiating a free trade agreement with the European Union."
Honduran coup threatens to delay EU trade deal
30-Jun-2009 EU Observer
The coup throws a curve ball at EU plans to wrap up an Association Agreement with the six-country Central American bloc this year, whose members included Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
EU demands in EU-India FTA could adversely affect access to drugs
29-Jun-2009 TWN
The European Union’s demands on India to take on higher intellectual property (IP) standards, if adopted, could spell disaster for the supply of low-cost generic medicines, undermine India’s development and set a significant precedent for the future of IPR protection globally, cautioned Dr Carlos M. Correa, an expert on IP and the WTO TRIPS Agreement.
Namibia: Trade Impasse - EU Hits Back
27-Jun-2009 The Namibian
The European Commission (EC) has lashed out at Namibia’s Trade and Industry Minister Hage Geingob, claiming he knew all along that they would not give written assurances on the concessions on infant industry protection, food security, export taxes and the free flow of goods agreed to in the interim economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations.
EPA October deadline may be missed
26-Jun-2009 GNA
Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, Trade Programme Co-ordinator for Civil Society Organizations in West Africa, is sure that negotiations would probably continue till January 2010 since both the EU and ECOWAS had not agreed on the percentage of the market they intend to be liberalized.