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Chamber president urges government to sign accord between Caribbean countries and EU
23-Apr-2007
Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce President Christopher Lowe is calling on the Government to seriously consider signing on to the CARIFORUM-EPA -EU trade agreement, claiming that failure to do so could result in the loss of jobs for two major industries on Grand Bahama.
EU sees big export rise if Asia trade pacts agreed
23-Apr-2007
European Union exports would rise by 40 billion euros ($54.3 billion) a year if the bloc reaches planned new free trade agreements (FTAs) with countries in Asia, the European Commission said.
Ghana: Trade coalition condemns ongoing EPA negotiations
23-Apr-2007 AllAfrica.com
Barely two weeks after the European Union proposed to remove all remaining quota and tariff limitations on access to the EU market for all African, Caribbean and Pacific regions as part of the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations (EPAs), a group calling itself the Ghana Trade and Livelihoods Coalition has raised concerns about the ongoing negotiations that are scheduled to be concluded by December 31, 2007.
EU to start negotiations for Association Agreement with the Andean Community
23-Apr-2007 EUROPA
The EU and the Andean Community announced yesterday in Santo Domingo their intention to start negotiations for an Association Agreement in the margins of the next EU-Andean Community Joint Committee that will be held in La Paz at the end of May 2007.
Deliberations continuing with EU, Canada, Turkey on free trade, QIZs - Jordan
22-Apr-2007 MENAFN
Several agreements are in the pipeline to accelerate Jordan’s free trade drive and maximise the advantages of Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs), Industry and Trade Minister Salem Khazaaleh said on Saturday.
Taiwan: EU official says any FTA will be ’some time’
21-Apr-2007 Taipei Times
The EU’s de facto ambassador to Taiwan told the European Chamber of Commerce in Taipei that it would be some time before the EU was able to evaluate the feasibility of a FTA with Taiwan. The prerequisites would be whether European companies see any need for or benefits from such a deal and whether the Taiwanese government is interested in signing a pact.
Development and intellectual property under the EPA negotiations
21-Apr-2007 South Centre
This South Centre policy brief examines the approach under the ongoing EPA negotiations with respect to innovation, biodiversity and traditional knowledge, public health, Least Developed Countries and on enforcement of intellectual property rights. It concludes that considering the level of economic development in ACP countries, the negotiations should not include IP rights as part of the partnership agreement.
The European approach to intellectual property in European Partnership Agreements with the ACP countries
20-Apr-2007 CIEL
A CIEL discussion paper on the European Union’s attempts to impose TRIPS-plus standards on 76 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
Namibia: ’Forget EU offer’ - expert
20-Apr-2007 AllAfrica.com
Market researcher at Meatco, Wallie Roux, yesterday criticized the European Union’s haste to have the Southern African Development Community-Economic Partnership Agreement (SADC-EPA) signed by the end of the year. "This is the biggest successful public relations stunt pulled by the EU," he observed.
EPA threatens N6.2b non-oil exports revenue, local industries - MAN
20-Apr-2007 AllAfrica.com
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has warned that harmonisation of tariffs under the proposed ECOWAS-EU Economic Partnership Agreement will lead to loss of over 478 million dollars (about N6.2 billion) in revenue from non-oil exports annually, and closure of some industries in the country.
Much to lose, little to gain: Assessing EPAs from the perspective of Malawi
18-Apr-2007 Tearfund
This Tearfund report critiques the process of EU-ACP EPA negotiations and looks at the potential impacts of an EPA on Malawi.
EU to announce 840-million-euro aid program for Central America
18-Apr-2007 People’s Daily
The European Union is about to announce an 840 million euro (1.141 billion US dollar) aid program for Central America, the European Commission said Tuesday.
South Korea, EU to start FTA talks in early May, official says
18-Apr-2007 Yonhap
South Korea and the European Union will start discussions in early May on forging a free trade agreement (FTA), Seoul’s senior trade official said Wednesday.
Nigeria: FG urged to spearhead Ecowas negotiations
18-Apr-2007 AllAfrica.com
The Federal Government has been called upon to take the lead in driving the Economic Community of West African States-Economic Partnership Agreement (ECOWAS-EPA) negotiations in order to guide the developing region towards effective regional integration and improved trade practices.
EU has no plans to start up FTA talks with Japan
17-Apr-2007 Japan Times
The European Union isn’t planning to start talks with Japan on a bilateral free-trade agreement, the director general for trade at the European Commission said Monday at a news conference in Tokyo. Japanese business leaders are concerned that if an EU-South Korea FTA takes effect, some Japanese industries would lose European market share to their South Korean rivals.
El Salvador: Spanish firm advocates, then breaks labour laws
17-Apr-2007 IPS
The Spanish tuna-fishing and processing company Grupo Calvo has been accused of serious anti-union practices in El Salvador. The paradox is that Calvo had insisted that this Central American country approve labour laws required by the European Union for the purpose of obtaining tariff exemptions, as a condition for continuing to invest here.
Comesa to discuss EPAs
13-Apr-2007
Heads of government and policy organs of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) will meet in the Kenyan capital Nairobi from May 11-23 to consider the progress made on the Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union among other things.
Caricom wants ’special provisions’ for sugar, bananas
12-Apr-2007 Jamaica Gleaner
The EU concession announced last week to remove all remaining quota and tariff restrictions on ACP products includes a phase-out period for rice and sugar, but does not mention bananas.
Africa must be careful in its trade pacts with Europeans
11-Apr-2007
The European Union celebrated its 50th birthday on March 25, since the signing of the founding Rome treaty, a pact originally comprising six Western European nations. France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg sealed an economic co-operation that was meant to avoid future wars.
Dominican negotiators head for talks on free trade with Europe
9-Apr-2007
The Coordinating Office for Trade Negotiations is in charge of taking the country into a free trade deal with the European Union before the end of the year.