Given that the AfCFTA could lead to a rise in demand for African land from agricultural and other investors, and that climate policies are increasingly looking to land projects to “capture” carbon, the risks for local communities whose livelihoods rely on land will be great.
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.
Civil society and non-government organizations in Thailand oppose the provisions proposed by the EU that will have a vast and adverse impact on access to medicines, universal health coverage scheme, agriculture, food sovereignty, consumer protection, and livelihoods of Thai people.
Farmers across Belgium, Poland and France took to the streets of Paris, Brussels and dozens of other cities and expressed their strong opposition to a trade deal between the EU and the “Mercosur” countries: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Thai civil society groups, including FTA Watch and the Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, have expressed serious concerns over the ongoing Thailand-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Key issues include stricter intellectual property rights, which could impact access to affordable medicines, and potential threats to food security and public health. The groups are urging the Thai government to prioritize public health and environmental concerns over corporate interests.
European companies support the resumption of negotiations for the EU-Philippines free trade agreement with 85 percent of survey respondents viewing it as critical to their business strategies.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a free-trade deal with South America’s Mercosur bloc is "in sight" but faces resistance ahead of a two-day summit in Uruguay.
Canada and the Philippines have initiated exploratory talks for a potential free trade agreement (FTA), aiming to boost bilateral trade currently valued at $1.49 billion. The first round of negotiations is set for the first half of 2025. This move aligns with the Philippines’ broader strategy of expanding its trade network through FTAs with countries like the United Arab Emirates and Chile.