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Conglomerates poaching experienced trade negotiators
15-Jan-2012
Following former trade minister Kim Hyun-jong, another former diplomat who played a key role in negotiations over the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) has gone to work for Samsung. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) stated on Sunday that 45-year-old Kim Won-gyeong, an economic adviser at the Korean Embassy to the United States, had submitted his resignation ahead of the regular February reshuffle. Though it has been reported that Kim will go to work as a director for Samsung Electronics America, a Samsung Electronics official said that talks were still in progress and nothing had been confirmed.
Obama’s agency revamp may diminish US Trade Representative
14-Jan-2012 Bloomberg
A proposal by President Barack Obama to reorganize US trade agencies would force together departments that have different missions, something industry groups say may diminish effectiveness.
Group calls for investment treaty with China
14-Jan-2012 China Daily
"We need to negotiate more bilateral investment treaties. … India and China should be high on that list," said Thomas Donohue, president and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce
How US policies fueled Mexico’s great migration
12-Jan-2012 ILW
For nearly two decades, Smithfield has used NAFTA and the forces it unleashed to become the world’s largest packer and processor of hogs and pork. But the conditions that helped Smithfield make high profits plunged thousands of rural Mexicans into poverty.
AMCHAM interferes in domestic policies through FTA
7-Jan-2012
Under the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), Korean civil servants would be excluded from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA)’s process of price determination. Instead independent review procedures could be used to set prices for medicines and medical supplies. This has caused concern among health care groups who worry that multinational pharmaceutical companies could use the independent review procedure to change the Korean government’s medicine prices.
Fair trade proving anything but in $6B market
23-Dec-2011 Bloomberg
Fair trade is increasingly becoming a marketing strategy where the farmers’ poverty is a necessary ingredient to make consumers feel good about themselves
Business groups welcome FTA passage as historic watershed
23-Nov-2011
Business organizations on Tuesday hailed the parliamentary ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement as a major turning point in Korea’s economy and history of trade.
Corporations occupy fair trade
7-Nov-2011 Bulletin
Corporations move in to further occupy the fair trade network
Top U.S. companies urge new Internet trade rules
6-Nov-2011
Google, Microsoft , Citigroup , IBM , GE and other top-tier American companies on Thursday urged the United States to fight for trade rules that protect the free flow of information over the Internet.
Indian pharma industry to gain from free trade agreement with Gulf nations
13-Oct-2011 PTI
The Indian pharmaceuticals and chemicals industry will be among the biggest beneficiaries of a free trade agreement between the GCC and India, a leading banker in the region has said.
With WTO stalled, GI industry proponents move to create their own register
10-Oct-2011 IP Watch
An international private-sector network lobbying for the protection of geographical indications is set to establish a compilation of all GIs currently protected in the world in what could seem like a response to the repeated failure of governments to agree on the establishment of a GIs register at the World Trade Organization.
“Mercosur won’t destroy European agriculture”, says EU business lobby
7-Oct-2011 MercoPress
The head of Business-Europe International Relations said Wednesday that a free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur “would not destroy European agriculture” in spite of fears from farmers.
US cheese companies prepare to infiltrate Korea
28-Sep-2011 Chosun Ilbo
As Korea and the U.S. await the approval of their respective legislatures on a Free Trade Agreement, around 30 members of the US Dairy Export Council came to Korea to study and tap this promising market this week.
Kia closely watching free-trade debate
25-Sep-2011 Macon
Kia spent $150,000 in the first quarter of this year to lobby members of the US House and Senate on matters that included the Korea-US free-trade agreement, according to federal lobbying records.
Corporate America urges Obama to embrace India
22-Sep-2011 PTI
Ron Somers, the President of the US-India Business Council, reminded American leadership that India is implementing bilateral trade agreements with several countries, which would result in lost opportunities for US firms unless steps were taken.
Alcohol lobbyists expose FTA pitfalls
26-Aug-2011 Voxy
Lobbyists for the alcohol industry are threatening to use New Zealand’s free trade agreements against government proposals to restrict products targetting young drinkers
Large number of FTAs to impact manufacturing sector: Ficci
24-Aug-2011 PTI
Expressing concern over a large number of free trade agreements signed by India, industry body Ficci on Tuesday said it would make the country’s manufacturing sector "uncompetitive".
Anti-free trade lobby is completely ignored by US Senators; Overseas producers and their interests control America’s economic policy
12-Aug-2011 Manufacturing News
An aggressive lobbying and PR campaign aimed at defeating the proposed US free trade agreement with Korea, and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, has amounted to nothing.
MAC applauds progress by Canadian government in the Americas
11-Aug-2011
The Mining Association of Canada today offered congratulations to the federal government on the formal entry into force of the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement effective August 15 2011.
DoP to convey concerns of industry over proposed FTAs, TPPA to commerce ministry
10-Aug-2011 PharmaBiz
India’s Department of Pharmaceuticals will take up issues with the Commerce Ministry regarding the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement which is likely to have adverse impact on the Indian pharma products, and other such Free Trade Agreements in the pipeline.