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EPA Will Thwart Africa’s Industrialisation Efforts
The Economic Justice Network (EJN), a coalition of Ghanaian civil society organisations fighting for economic justice, has cautioned African countries involved in the negotiation of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) not to succumb to the pressure from European Union (EU) to sign the agreement as it has the potential of disintegrating African economies.
La Ville de Québec doit se prémunir contre l’AÉCG
À l’instar de Burnaby, Saskatoon, Kingston, Toronto, Montréal et Baie-Comeau, il est impératif que Québec adopte une résolution demandant une exemption complète de cet accord bilatéral.
Professors Demand TPP Transparency; USTR Says Detailed Response Forthcoming
Key Development: A group of law professors sent a letter to the U.S. trade representative criticizing the process surrounding a multilateral trade agreement. The USTR says that a detailed response is forthcoming.
Quebec City must protect itself against CETA
Following the example of Burnaby, Saskatoon, Kingston, Toronto, Montreal and Baie-Comeau, it is imperative that Quebec adopts a resolution demanding a complete carve out from this bilateral agreement.
Permanent People’s Tribunal will session in Mexico
“Free trade, dirty war, impunity and peoples rights” is the title of the new national chapter of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) that aims to expose “structural violence” in Mexico as a result of the implementation of free trade agreements.
Canada: The real cost of free trade
Thousands in Japan protest Asia-Pacific trade pact
Thousands of farmers rallied in Tokyo Wednesday against a Pacific-wide free trade pact as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s prepares for a visit to the United States.
Thousands in Japan protest Asia-Pacific trade pact
Thousands of farmers rallied in Tokyo Wednesday against a Pacific-wide free trade pact as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s prepares for a visit to the United States.
DR-CAFTA: A dismal delivery of workers’ hopes
Late last month, the umbrella coalition of US unions, the AFL-CIO, linked up with major workers groups from Honduras to file a petition with the Department of Labor in Washington, DC. The petition censured the government of the Central American country over its failure to enforce provisions of the labour chapter of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) with the United States.
Study investment provisions before an FTA says advocacy group
The country should carefully study investment provisions before entering into foreign trade agreements (FTAs) as these may infringe on government’s regulatory power on foreign firms, an advocacy group on Friday said.
NAFTA and free trade do not belong in the same sentence
The claim that all economists agree that "the benefits of free trade and NAFTA far outweigh the costs" is highly misleading, writes Dean Baker.
AFL-CIO declaration issued to re-examine Colombia FTA on worker rights
The United Steelworkers, the AFL-CIO and the Colombia labor movement firmly believes the US pronouncement that Colombia has complied with the Labor Action Plan — a move which will allow for implementation of the Free Trade Agreement starting next month — is premature as unionists continue to be killed in Colombia at a rate of 30 slain in 2011, and six already this year.
More tumult at the TPP: Secret negotiations against internet freedom continue in Chile; Big Pharma allies attempt to shut down critics’ event (again)
Talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, which the US is negotiating with Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam are continuing this week (April 9-13) in Santiago, Chile in the form of an “intersessional meeting” on intellectual property – focusing on internet policy.
Occupy for "fair trade, not free trade"
Talk of a major international protest at the Dallas negotiations on May 8-18th for the Trans-Pacific Partnership dominated the discussion at the Occupy Dallas Six-Month Anniversary Celebration at Pioneer Park downtown on Apr. 7th.
Unbalanced free trade deals costing us jobs
Rebuilding a strong, vibrant and innovative manufacturing sector in Canada by signing more free trade agreements is like saying our society can be healthier if only we ate more chocolate. It’s backwards logic.
John Kinsman: Why we should oppose the Trans Pacific Partnership
US dairy farmers fear they will go bankrupt as cheap foreign powder imports like milk protein concentrate flood the domestic market under the TPP.
Occupy, social justice groups blockade entrance to Monsanto
"We are calling for a ’global class-action’ against Monsanto," said Steven Payan, one of the Davis protest organizers. "We are joining the world in solidarity to demand a ban on all GMO foods and hold Monsanto accountable for its actions throughout history from Agent Orange to Deforestation to current and past deaths to preying on small farmers through a broken court system and also through International Free Trade Agreements."
Secret trade deal threatens democracy
A “free trade agreement” being negotiated by Australia, the United States and other countries could have profound impacts on crucial public policy issues including food security, natural resource management, access to essential medicines, public assets and more.
Trans-Pacific Trade Pact Reveals U.S.’s Unbridled Corporate Agenda
The 11th round of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) talks concluded in Melbourne Friday, with member states suggesting the negotiations had made significant progress but civil society groups reiterating concerns that the United States’ corporate demands could undermine social, economic and environmental policies. "We do know that global corporations are pushing hard for the inclusion of provisions that benefit companies, but not necessarily workers and communities," Gerardine Kearney, President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), told IPS.
International civil society groups slam corporate influence on Trans-Pacific free trade talks
The 11th round of Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement negotiations between Australia, the US, New Zealand, Malaysia and four other countries starts in Melbourne on March 1. Civil society groups from those countries are in Melbourne to contest corporate influence and debate the issues.