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corporate interests

Big tobacco takes fight over plain cigarette packs to free trade agreement
16-Jan-2011
Big tobacco is hoping a new multilateral free trade agreement will enable it to sue the Federal Government if Australia introduces plain packaging for cigarettes in mid-2012 as planned.
Big business comes out strong for TPP
6-Jan-2011 Japan Times
Business leaders urged the Japanese government Wednesday to open up the nation’s market by joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact by June so industries can benefit from the strong consumption power in the United States and emerging economies.
Pfizer’s pforeign intrigue: Tried to scupper US trade deal in price control protest
24-Dec-2010 CBS News
Pfizer lobbied to scupper a free trade deal between the US and New Zealand because it was angry at the New Zealand government’s healthcare system, which strictly controls prices and new drug approvals, according to diplomatic cables leaked by Wikileaks.
Brussels closer to drinks trade deal with India
14-Dec-2010 FT
The EU-India FTA could represent a milestone for Europe’s spirits industry, which has long thirsted for a share of the world’s biggest whisky market.
US group stands by intellectual property protection
9-Dec-2010 Radio NZ
An influential American business lobby, the US Chamber of Commerce, has hit out at New Zealand’s position on intellectual property rights in the TransPacific Partnership trade talks.
Q&A: Business Europe: ’India has advantage compared to the other BRIC countries’
9-Dec-2010 Business Standard
Philippe de Buck, secretary general of Business Europe, the most influential EU industry lobby in the region, spoke to Pallavi Aiyar to reflect on the European businesses’ perspective on the potential trade accord.
Trade Invaders - how big business is driving the EU-India free trade talks
8-Dec-2010 Vimeo
This video illustrates how, in the EU-India FTA negotiations, the EU Commission and the Indian government have handed the agenda over to corporate lobby groups. This big-business-first agenda will put at risk the livelihoods of millions of small farmers, street traders and patients.
EU-Korea business club unhappy with revised FTA with US
7-Dec-2010 Chosun Ilbo
In early signs that the renegotiation of Korea’s free trade agreement with the U.S. was the thin end of the wedge, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea said Monday it is reexamining environmental and safety clauses in the automotive segment of the Korea-EU FTA.
Drug cos want IP issues kept out of pact with EU
7-Dec-2010 Hindu BusinessLine
Unhappy with the absence of "open discussion" on the FTA, the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association has said that intellectual property related issues should not be part of the FTA.
Leaked NZ paper reveals rift with US on intellectual property in trade agreement
4-Dec-2010
On the eve of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations in Auckland, a leaked negotiating document has exposed a fundamental conflict between the US and New Zealand positions on intellectual property.
Trade ministers urged to deny corporations ability to sue provincial, territorial governments
3-Dec-2010
With the upcoming meeting of the Committee on Internal Trade (CIT) ministers in Saskatoon on December 3, a wide cross-section of Canadian civil society groups are urging governments to deny corporations the right to sue the provinces and territories under the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) as requested by a coalition of business groups this week.
Wikileaks shows Obama, Lee in same boat for FTA, G20
2-Dec-2010 Korea Times
Leaked diplomatic cables on WikiLeaks showed that the governments of South Korean and the United States have been working in tandem to push ahead the free trade agreement despite opposition from US business circles.
Wal-Mart upbeat on Japan’s TPP prospects
30-Nov-2010 Japan Times
Wal-Mart Asia CEO Scott Price says Japan’s participation in the TPP would increase business opportunities for Wal-Mart, which operates supermarkets in 15 countries.
Exporters should take note of US Inc’s call to promote FTAs
29-Nov-2010
Last week, the Wall Street Journal assembled nearly 100 chief executives of large companies for a day and half to discuss the policy choices facing the US and the effects those choices may have on business and the economy. Their recommendations have something to take note by Indian exporters and policy makers.
Fonterra welcomes trade negotiations with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan
16-Nov-2010 AFN
Fonterra said today the announcement of full Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Russia and its Customs Union partners, Belarus and Kazakhstan, had the potential to make the region an even more important partner for the New Zealand dairy industry.
Indo-US investment treaty first step towards FTA
11-Nov-2010 FE
Interview with US-India Business Council president Ron Somers
US beef exporters urge speed, not changes, in South Korean trade accord
10-Nov-2010 Bloomberg
American beef exporters are pushing the Obama administration and Congress to approve a pending trade agreement with South Korea without delay rather than hold out for concessions on their behalf.
Chrysler joins Ford against Korean pact
9-Nov-2010 DFP
Chrysler today voiced its opposition – along with Ford – to passage of a free trade agreement between the US and Korea as written in 2007.
Ford slams South Korea trade deal as Obama officials renew talks in Seoul
5-Nov-2010 The Hill
Ford, the US car company, has launched an aggressive advertising campaign against the South Korea free trade agreement, which it argues would lock in unfair trade between the countries.
Giving in to corporate pressure?
2-Nov-2010 Open Democracy
Since their launch in Prague last year, the EU-Canada FTA negotiations have largely followed an agenda drawn up by Goldman Sachs, IBM, Vodafone and Deutsche Bank.