bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

:: Across the board ::

This section contains news and analysis of sweeping developments that affect the overall push and pull towards FTAs and bilateral investment treaties. This means major trends relating to bilateralism, often with global consequences, and other cross-cutting issues. New developments arising from US politics, the WTO or South-South alliance-building, for instance, are often reported here as they tend to have systemic impacts.

last update: May 2012


Slowing the free-trade bulldozer
Long a bipartisan crusade in Washington, “free trade” is now set to face some overdue opposition. And there’s no better time to start the rumble than in the lame duck session of Congress.
Bilateral trade agreements and the world trading system
Bilateral Trade Agreements (BTAs) have been proliferating. Why are they so popular? What are their impacts on multilateralism and the world trading system? This papers attempts to answer these questions.
Transcript: Susan Schwab interview
Susan Schwab, US trade representative, on the prospects for turning the 21 economies of Apec into a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP); current talks about bilateral trade deals in Asia; the expiration in June next year of trade promotion authority (TPA); and the expected signing of a bilateral trade agreement between the US and Russia.
Democrats to focus trade policy on US jobs and workers
The American worker, not Corporate America, will be the central focus of US trade policy as far as the new Democratic majority of Congress is concerned.
Slow track: Democratic gains raise roadblocks to free-trade push
The Democrats’ sweep of Congress is set to deliver a blow to President Bush’s free-trade ambitions and could hamper impending trade deals both big and small.
Bush’s trade agenda in doubt after Democratic win
The Democrats’ triumphant return to power in the House of Representatives could spell trouble for US President George W Bush’s campaign to dismantle global trade barriers. But analysts said legislative gridlock and a focus on the 2008 presidential race would limit the influence of Democratic isolationists.
The end of so-called "free trade" has arrived
All across the US, opposition to corporate trade agreements played a role in the economic messages put forth by electoral candidates.
US vote could leave free trade in trouble
President George W Bush’s agenda to tear down global trade barriers appears headed for trouble whoever wins US elections next week, analysts believe.
Kenyan Minister warns against bilateral trade deals
The Kenyan Trade Minister, Mukhisha Kituyi, today spoke up against the danger of countries running to negotiate bilateral and regional trade deals with the impasse of the Doha negotiations at the World Trade Organisation.
Bush’s trade authority renewal: dead on arrival?
If Democrats win control of Congress in November elections, the Bush administration is highly unlikely to win renewal of trade negotiating powers that expire in 2007, congressional aides and former lawmakers said on Wednesday.

    Links


  • #A18DoA - Global day of action to defeat free trade and investment treaties
    Website for the global day of action to defeat free trade and investment treaties #A18DoA
  • 21st Century Trade Agreements: Implications for Long-Run Development Policy
    A publication of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future. The paper examines the policy space available under various free trade regimes for countries pursuing industrial policies for development.
  • Alianza Social Continental
    La Alianza Social Continental es un foro de organizaciones y movimientos sociales progresistas de las Américas, creado para intercambiar información, definir estrategias y promover acciones conjuntas, todo ello encaminado a la búsqueda de un modelo de desarrollo alternativo y democrático, que beneficie a nuestros pueblos
  • ICC
    International Chamber of Commerce
  • Movimientos.org
    A multilingual (English, Spanish, Portuguese) website focusing on social movements and their campaigns, including those against bilateral and regional FTAs.
  • Pambazuka
    In this week’s edition of the Emerging Powers News Round-Up, read a comprehensive list of news stories and opinion pieces related to China, India and other emerging powers...
  • People over profit
    People Over Profit is a campaign network that unites peoples movements and NGOs across the globe to stop free trade agreements (FTAs) and corporate plunder, launched in October 2016.
  • Peoples Global Action
    In February 1998, movements from all continents met in Geneva to launch a worldwide coordination of resistances to the global market, a new alliance of struggle and mutual support called Peoples’ Global Action against "Free" Trade and the World Trade Organisation (PGA).
  • Regional/Multilateral Integration Agreements
    Selected research papers on regional trade agreements, from internationaleconomics.net
  • SOMO
    SOMO links the negotiations and rules on international trade and investment with the actual conduct of corporations within these rules and agreements.
  • South Centre
    An intergovernmental organisation of developing countries
  • Stop fast track!
    10 days to stop fast track in the United States: Jan 22 - 31 2014
  • Third World Network
    TWN’s website is a good source of information and analysis about what’s happening within the multilateral trade system (WTO, UNCTAD, G77, etc).
  • WorldTradeLaw.net
    WorldTradeLaw.net offers a free library of current trade news and resources; a database of dispute settlement tables and statistics; and a user-friendly search tool for legal texts, and other documents.