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bilateralism & multilateralism


ICC urges Thailand to go multilateral route
The international business community has called on Thailand to abandon its plans for bilateral deals and adopt instead the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) agenda of multilateral cooperation.
US-SACU trade deal: what’s in it for us?
In bilateral talks characterised by unequal power relations, the rich will force their will on the poor and the "development" element of trade deals will be diluted to the point of being meaningless. This is especially so when dealing with a country like the US that believes more trade, on its own, equals more development.
Bilateral trade talks falter after enthusiastic starts
Bangladesh is yet to make any clear headway in its bilateral talks in free trade agreements with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well as trade and investment framework agreement with the United States.
Watch out beyond the WTO: The EU’s aggressive multi-level trade agenda
Is it really just the US which pushes its economic interests in fora outside the WTO? No! The European Commission as the power centre of EU trade policy is pursuing its own neo-liberal liberalisation and deregulation scheme multilaterally within the WTO and at the same time in regional and bilateral processes!
Bilateral & regional negotiations on agriculture: competitive liberalization or protectionist confusion?
Synoptic review of what is happening with US trade talks on agriculture, outside the WTO
BGD: Decide fast about free trade deals
A consultative committee on free trade has suggested the government to make urgent political decision regarding its position on bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
Two-way deals fill free trade gap
It may seem as though a deal is a deal, but experts in the field differ on the relative merits of bilateral and regional agreements, with each having its friends and foes.
The work of USTR on intellectual property
In this work, we consult closely with Congress on our priorities and strategies; we use domestic trade law; regional initiatives in Europe, Asia (APEC), Latin America (FTAA) and Africa; existing institutions, notably the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Global trade: Creating a new mindset with FTAs
Although FTAs have both trade-creating and -diverting effects, overall they serve the objective of multilateral trade liberalisation.
Fashionable trade agreements all the rage in Asia
From Tokyo to Mumbai, FTAs - free-trade agreements - seem to be every Asian politician’s favorite new phrase these days.
’Singapore issues’ part of EU’s trade agenda: Lamy
Investment, competition policies, and transparency in government procurement emerged during a recent meeting between trade ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union aimed at seeking ways to boost trade and economic cooperation between the two regions.
The politics of United States free trade agreements
United States (U.S.) is aggressively working to open markets globally, regionally and bilaterally to expand American opportunities and to guard its investments in overseas market. With multilateral negotiations proceeding at a slow pace especially following the collapse of talks in Cancun, U.S. is on a spree signing free trade agreements (FTAs) with the Americas, Asian, African and Middle Eastern nations.
Kerry would shift US trade focus towards WTO
Democrat John Kerry probably would put more time and energy into world trade talks and enforcing existing agreements than pursuing bilateral deals like the Bush administration has, a campaign adviser said.
FTA Attraction
Given the apparently easy way in which FTA rules can be bent and misinterpreted, wouldn’t it be better to dispense with them altogether? Moreover, now that the Doha Round of the WTO has been given another lease of life, why not simply wait for global, multilateral tariff reduction?
TWN: Call to review bilateral trade deals
With a deal being struck at the World Trade Organisation on 31 July to revive negotiations, will the move towards bilateral trade agreements slow down?
Premier Yu calls for more FTAs during NY stopover
Premier Yu Shyi-kun encouraged local enterprises Saturday to invest in Central American countries that continue to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, saying this will help the government maintain the ties.
US free trade initiatives & their implications for the multilateral trading system
The rationale for regional integration between two or more countries would suggest that such agreements would need to be based on substantial trading interests.
Time not yet ripe for US-Taiwan FTA
A delegation of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taipei said here Wednesday that although Taiwan is keen on signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, the time for such an agreement is not yet ripe.
Via Campesina totally rejects bilateral FTAs
We, members of Via Campesina, a world-wide organization of rural women, peasants, small farmers, rural workers, indigenous people and afro-descendants, from Asia, Europe, America and Africa, met in Itaici, Brazil, from 14-19 June 2004, for our 4th International Conference. We were welcomed warmly, fraternally and in a combative spirit by our hosts, the member organizations of Via Campesina in Brazil.
Free trade agreements and the transformation of global trade
The Cancun round of WTO negotiations in Mexico last year ended in disarray, prompting countries to seek other means of freeing up trade.