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textiles | garments

New government urged to accelerate opening of FTA with Japan
26-Jun-2006
The new government should rush to go ahead with the opening of the planned free trade area (FTA) with Japan before Thailand loses markets to trading rivals, according to a top executive of the textile and garment industry.
Garment exporters seek US deal
20-Jun-2006
A contingent of local garments exporters is in Washington to seek support from United States Congress for a possible sectoral preferential trade deal.
Sacu undecided on textile deal
20-Jun-2006
What a blow. The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) has not yet made up its mind on extension of the duty-free market access for four textiles and garment exporting countries, including Malawi, Economic Report has learnt.
Taiwan, Nicaragua sign free trade agreement
19-Jun-2006 AFP
Taiwan and Nicaragua have signed a free trade agreement (FTA) pledging to join forces to explore the North American market, the Board of Foreign Trade said.
White House upbeat on Vietnam trade pact
23-May-2006 AP
The Bush administration expressed optimism Monday that a recently completed trade agreement with Vietnam can be signed by early June and supporting legislation can win congressional approval this summer.
MTMA optimistic on govt’s free trade agreement with US
15-May-2006
The Malaysian Textile Manufacturers Association (MTMA) is optimistic on the International Trade and Industry Ministry’s effort to launch a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States (US).
Hopes of US duty-free access fading for Asian countries
26-Apr-2006 Emerging Textiles
The road to US duy-free access could be longer than expected for a series of emerging countries. While Pakistan was recently refused that textiles and apparel benefit from preferential treatment, chances of duty-free access for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Cambodia are progressively fading.
Turkey: FTA with Tunisia & Morocco vital for textile sector
26-Apr-2006 Fibre2fashion
Currently, Turkey has inked Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with 19 countries and now, the formation of Mediterranean Basin Free Trade Area, is being added which will improve economic and commercial transactions between the Mediterranean countries.
Morocco textile industry adapting to free trade
24-Apr-2006 Reuters
Morocco hopes to create as many textile industry jobs as it loses over a two-year period, the kingdom’s trade minister said.
US unwilling on increased market access for textiles
16-Apr-2006 Daily Times
The United States is reluctant to give increased market access for textile to Pakistan and has conveyed that any new trading arrangement that could be finalized between the two countries would be minus textile, a senior official told the Daily Times on Saturday.
Cosatu warns of job losses on SA-China trade deal
13-Apr-2006 SABC News
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has warned government that thousands of textile workers, especially women, will soon join the unemployment queue.
Caribbean bloc considers free trade talks
13-Apr-2006 Miami Herald
The CARICOM bloc already enjoys preferential access to the US market through the Caribbean Basin Initiative. But key textile concessions are set to expire in 2008, and the region has been losing ground to competitors in Central and South America as those countries sign free trade deals with Washington.
Jairam Ramesh cautions on free trade pacts
10-Apr-2006 Indo-Asian News Service
’A free trade agreement with China will be suicidal,’ Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said Monday.
US wants comprehensive RP trade deal
17-Mar-2006 Manila Bulletin
The Philippine exploratory mission to the US on the proposed specific preferential trading for the garment sector was met with cold treatment as top level government officials, Congress representatives and its private sector still prefer a comprehensive free trade area (FTA) agreement.
Korea set to drive hard bargain on shipping, textiles in FTA
10-Mar-2006
South Korea should call on the United States to remove protection for its shipping industry and lower tariffs on textile and clothing imports in order to counter Washington’s demands at the upcoming free trade talks, a state-run think tank said Thursday.
APTMA welcomes SAFTA ratification
7-Mar-2006
The chairman of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), Punjab zone, Shafqat Elahi, has welcomed the ratification of SAFTA by the cabinet.
CAFTA delays costing jobs, investment
15-Feb-2006 AP
The delay in implementing the Central American Free Trade Agreement has hit the region’s clothing industry hard, putting factories in legal limbo while much of their business leaves for Asia.
Fiji: China-Australia free trade agreement puts Fiji in further bind
9-Feb-2006
Fiji’s garment industry will face more problems if a free trade agreement (FTA) is signed between Australia and China, says Fiji Textile Clothing and Footwear President, Ramesh Solanki.
China-ASEAN FTA agreement benefits China’s textile export
21-Jan-2006 Xinhua
Since China and the ASEAN started their tariff reduction process on July 1, 2005 on the basis of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) agreement, the ASEAN would gradually lower its tariff upon Chinese textile and apparel, which may increase China’s textile export to this region.
Egypt and Turkey to sign free trade agreement
22-Dec-2005 Bahrain News Agency
Egyptian Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry, Rasheed Mohammed Rasheed, said a free trade agreement will be signed by Egypt and Turkey during next week’s visit of Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to Cairo.