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South Korea: Indefinite general strike planned
Korean trade union and social organisations have worked together in recent months to stop the Japan-Korea FTA, arguing that it will result in the abolition of more regulations protecting workers rights, and more privatisation of public services. They also say the average citizens’ access to medical treatment and drugs will also be undermined by the FTA’s excuse to “protect” intellectual property rights.
Australia may bow to pressure from US drug firms on FTA
Prime Minister John Howard may bow to a concerted campaign by American drug companies against the amendments that the government was forced into accepting upon pressure from the Labor Party.
Stiglitz: New trade pacts betray the poorest partners
In negotiating trade agreements with Morocco, Chile and other countries, the Bush administration has used the same approach that earned us the enmity of so much of the rest of the world. The bilateral agreements reveal an economic policy dictated more by special interests than by a concern for the well-being of our poorer trading partners.
EU demands improved intellectual property protection from Israel
The European Commission has decided to increase pressure on Israel to adopt more stringent intellectual property protection for the benefit of EU pharmaceutical companies.
Thai civil groups want IP off trade-talks agenda with US
Civil groups yesterday called for intellectual property (IP) to be excluded from the second round of the Thai-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation because of fears it would give unjustified protection to rich IP developers at the expense of Thais.
Strange article lurking at back of FTA could bring nasty surprise
HIDDEN at the back of the 1000 page Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, is a strange article, numbered 21.2(c). Usually, in a legal document such as a treaty, dispute proceedings only arise if a party has breached a formal obligation in the text.
Access to Affordable Drugs: Victims of HIV/AIDS Should Not Suffer From Trade Rules
Botswana was warned last week by a UN Committee that trade agreements should not undermine Botswana’s ability to ensure access to affordable treatment for children or other people with HIV/AIDS.
Leaders face challenge on trade threat to PBS
Twenty leading medical and legal experts, and seven peak health and community services organisations, will send today an open letter to John Howard and Mark Latham demanding changes to the free trade agreement with the US before the agreement is ratified in late October.
Bullying big pharma puts pressure on Australians
US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick’s warning to Australia that an amended free-trade agreement might conflict with the letter and spirit of the original agreement was prompted by bullying from the American pharmaceuticals industry, according to a US trade adviser.
Farm tariffs, IPRs seen as main obstacles to US-Andean FTA
Tariffs on agricultural products and definitions of intellectual property rights, particularly for pharmaceuticals, are shaping up as the most contentious issues in the free trade negotiations between the United States and three Andean nations, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Intellectual Property: We must not make any concession on medicines
The Colombian Germán Velásquez says that it was unfair for the US to veto the Argentine advisor Carlos Correa. He claims that poor countries must continue to have access to cheap medicines even if there are trade treaties. His request is that the Doha agreement is respected.
End Days to Cheap Drugs With U.S. Trade Deal
Australia’s ratification of a free trade agreement with the United States has sparked warnings that it represents a major win for the U.S. drug industry in blocking generic manufacturers and undermining the country’s internationally acclaimed system for lowering pharmaceutical prices.
Selling off a slice of our country
The funny thing about the free trade agreement with the United States is that Australians and Americans see it as being about completely different things. Australia’s businesspeople see it as about eliminating the barriers to exports and imports between the two countries, which they regard as a good thing.
FTA set to increase medicine prices
Kerryn Williams spoke to David Henry, clinical pharmacology professor at Newcastle University and former Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee member, about how the proposed US-Australia Free Trade Agreement will undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and increase the price of medicine.
Letter urging IP be excluded from US-SACU trade negotiations
Re: Excluding Intellectual Property from negotiations over a U.S.- Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Free Trade Agreement
Bilateral investment agreements: Agents of new global standards for the protection of IPRs?
Developing countries have entered into a large number of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) as well as free trade agreements (FTAs) that include explicit obligations for the protection of intellectual property rights as "investments".
Drug spat stalls Australia-US free trade deal
A long-awaited Australia-US free trade agreement (FTA) hit a new snag in Canberra, just hours after US President George W. Bush reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to a pact he called "a milestone in the history of our alliance".
’Free’ trade beyond the WTO
Welcome to the brave new world of “Free” Trade. This is a world that extends beyond the World Trade Organisation. This may be difficult to comprehend, but the fact of the matter is that global capital, led by the US government, seeks more and more to tread where even the WTO did not.
URGENT: Stay GE-Free: Reject the US-Australia FTA
If Howard and Bush’s so-called ’free trade’ deal is confirmed by the Australian parliament and senate (WHICH CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF THE ALP VOTES WITH THE GOVERNMENT), genetically engineered crops and foods will be forced down our throats and onto our farms, and our hopes for GE-free Australia will end!!
Thailand: Govt accused of lying about drugs in FTA Trade pact
The government lied when it said it would exclude medicines from the list of products included under the prospective freetrade agreement between Thailand and the United States, a seminar was told yesterday.