- Negotiations
In May 2007, the European Union and South Korea started negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement. It took effect on 1 July 2011.
This deal is part of the EU’s post-2006 "Global Europe" strategy to boost the competitiveness of EU corporations in the world by securing deeper commitments to neoliberal policies from trading partners, including expanded rights for European transnationals. In Korea, the European Union is trying to win equal, if not better, footing against US firms after the conclusion of the US-Korea FTA. (The EU makes stronger demands than the US on Korea in the areas of intellectual property, services, competition policy and environmental standards.)
Social movements from both sides mobilised against the deal’s potential impacts. One flashpoint of concern is for Korea’s agricultural sector, where pig farmers in particular are expected to suffer from an influx of subsidised EU pork as a result of this deal.
last update: May 2012
photo: European External Action Service - EEAS/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
14-Nov-2007
Chosun Ilbo
Korea’s top negotiator to trade talks with the EU wants a deal to be concluded by year’s end.
19-Oct-2007
Bernama
Activists held protests Friday and urged the South Korean government to stop "unfair" trade deals with the European Union, as the fourth round of talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the EU was due to end in Seoul.
19-Oct-2007
AFP
The European Union on Friday said it was disappointed with South Korea’s offer in talks on a free-trade agreement.
17-Oct-2007
EU Business
The European Union has shunned discussions on South Korea’s proposal to include a North Korean industrial park in their proposed free trade agreement (FTA), officials said. Meanwhile, European businesses have warned their leaders not to play politics with trade and exclude the park from any trade agreement with Seoul.
17-Oct-2007
China Daily
A farmer carries a model pig during his one-man protest in front of the hotel where South Korean-EU free trade talks are being held in Seoul
15-Oct-2007
Korea.net
The EU is demanding that Korea match reductions on beef and car-import tariffs that it granted the US in June.
24-Sep-2007
IPS
Elaborate funeral rituals were performed in central Brussels over the past week to show how a planned free trade accord between the European Union and the Korean government should, in the view of anti-poverty campaigners, be buried.
21-Sep-2007
On the occasion of the 3rd round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between South Korea and the EU taking place from 17th till 21st September in Brussels, Belgium, members of the Korean Alliance against Korea-EU FTA (KoA) and members from social movements and civil society organisations from Europe have come together to join forces and struggle together against the Global Europe strategy and the Korea-EU FTA.
21-Sep-2007
From the Korea FTA Industry Alliance and BUSINESSEUROPE
20-Sep-2007
Chosun Ilbo
Free trade talks between Korea and the EU have hit an unexpected snag after the EU turned from a generous negotiating partner in the first two rounds into a stubborn, picky one in the third round.
