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natural resources

EU sees Mercosur as a source of critical minerals
21-Jan-2026 BNamericas
The European Union recognizes the key role that the free trade agreement with Mercosur, an economic bloc formed by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, will have for the supply of critical minerals to the European continent.
Report: US-Indonesia minerals deal threatens sovereignty, labor rights, and the environment
15-Dec-2025 Public Citizen
A new report released by Public Citizen and Indonesian environmental organization Satya Bumi exposes how the Trump administration has used the threat of sweeping tariffs to force Indonesia to accept an “agreement” that threatens to dismantle its hard-won progress toward reclaiming control of its mineral wealth — while allowing labor abuses, environmental destruction, and corporate impunity to continue.
Trump’s US-Malaysia deal: cementing extractivist colonialism
15-Dec-2025 Public Citizen
The recently unveiled US-Malaysia Agreement on Reciprocal Trade—signed by Donald Trump on October 26, 2025—is not just a trade pact; it’s a high-stakes, asymmetrical deal that prioritizes US strategic interests over Malaysia’s industrial sovereignty.
EU pushes Mercosur Trade Pact as raw-materials ethics loom large
4-Dec-2025 Latin America Reports
As the EU accelerates its plan to sign its long-delayed trade agreement with South American economic bloc Mercosur, the pact’s role in securing raw materials is drawing criticism.
EU explores investment in Australian resources as trade talks set to restart
21-Nov-2025 TradingView
The European Union is weighing new ways to invest directly in Australia’s critical resources sector, with Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič saying Brussels is exploring options ranging from equity stakes to long-term offtake agreements and joint investments.
India and Chile eye December talks for comprehensive trade pact
17-Nov-2025 Devdiscourse
This Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement aims to enhance trade, including critical minerals essential for electronics, auto, and solar sectors. The ongoing economic collaboration highlights India’s strategic focus in the Latin American region.
Resource disputes between investors and states hit 10-year high
3-Nov-2025 Reuters
Disagreements between governments and investors over resources are at a 10-year high, law firm DLA Piper said, driven by resource nationalism and growing competition between the US and China for critical minerals.
Raw materials and resource-shackling under the EU’s FTA texts
6-May-2025 Third World Network
In the area of energy and raw materials, the EU comes up with regressive and restrictive text proposals for its free trade agreement with India (also Tunisia, Vietnam, Mexico) which are directly contradictory to its own conduct and regulations
US offers Ukraine economic partnership in ‘exchange’ for support
13-Feb-2025 Bloomberg
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent presented an economic partnership agreement to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during his visit to Kyiv.
Bringing together social and environmental demands in the fight against FTAs
2-Dec-2024 bilaterals.org
In order to put an end to free trade agreements, it is essential to continue to link the different struggles for the defence of territories and their natural resources, for the social demands of the people, for life and for peace.
Montero agrees to US$27 million settlement from Tanzania
21-Nov-2024 Montero Mining
Montero has agreed to a US$27,000,000 settlement amount to end its dispute with the United Republic of Tanzania
NAFTA panel orders rethink on softwood lumber duties
8-May-2024 BIV
B.C. forests minister says NAFTA panel ruling positive, but doesn’t end softwood lumber dispute.
Trade agreements’ influence on the global mineral transition in critical raw materials
22-Mar-2024 Bilaterals.org
Trade agreements shape the global minerals transition by determining access to essential raw materials, influencing investment decisions, and enforcing environmental and social regulations. This article examines the underlying agenda of trade agreements in shaping the global minerals transition, including how they affect the distribution of benefits and risks.
Billion-dollar exposure: Investor-state dispute settlement in Mozambique’s fossil fuel sector
23-Feb-2024 Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Mozambique faces a substantial economic risk due to its exposure to investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) claims by foreign investors in its coal, oil, and gas sectors. The investment protections in the country’s international investment agreements and contracts, combined with ISDS, expose Mozambique to multi-billion-dollar financial liabilities.
Tanzania’s attempt to strike out Indiana’s compensation fails to score
12-Feb-2024 Stockhead
Indiana Resources is closer to recovering its historical sunk investment for the unlawful expropriation of the Ntaka Hill nickel sulphide project after the ICSID struck out most of Tanzania’s grounds for requesting the annulment of the award.
BC, Ottawa officials applaud decision on US softwood lumber duties
6-Oct-2023 CBC
Officials in Ottawa and British Columbia have welcomed a ruling under the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying it found elements of the United States’ calculation of softwood lumber duties are inconsistent with that country’s own law.
Indonesia pledges more investments in Tanzania
11-Sep-2023 AllAfrica
Indonesia has pledged to increase investments in Tanzania, including in management of the Mnazi Bay gas block by its state-owned company.
Nothing to lose but your supply chains: IPEF and the resilience agenda
23-Aug-2023 Ibon International
Trade justice activists slammed the lack of transparency in the IPEF negotiation process. Social movements have showing resistance to demand prioritising labour, climate justice, and human rights over corporate profits in Indo-Pacific trade talks.
The struggle of small-scale fishers in Indonesia
12-May-2023 Bilaterals.org
Indonesia is a country that is particularly active and aggressive in negotiating free trade and investment agreements. The food industry, notably fisheries, is often threatened by such agreements.
Germany to support critical minerals-rich countries build processing capacity
17-Apr-2023 Yahoo
Germany wants to help countries that are rich in critical minerals such as Chile, Indonesia and Namibia to build their own processing infrastructure to cut dependency on China.