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EU-Myanmar investment treaty talks: Where’s the transparency?
26-Oct-2017 Frontier Myanmar
Civil society groups say an investment protection agreement being negotiated by Myanmar and the European Union lacks transparency and exposes the government to the possibility of compensation payouts it cannot afford.
Morocco and EU discuss amending agriculture deal
25-Oct-2017 Morocco World News
The two sides discussed the amendment of the Morocco-EU agriculture agreement, after the European Court of Justice ruled in December 2016 that is not applicable to goods from Western Sahara.
Fifth meeting of the EPA trade committee EU-Pacific states EPA
25-Oct-2017 European Commission
The fifth trade committee under the EU-Pacific states interim EPA brought together Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and the European Union. Solomon Islands and the Samoa were invited to participate as observers.
Calls grow for ‘green clause’ in EU trade deals
25-Oct-2017 EurActiv
There is widespread consensus on the need to level the playing field for European companies confronted with environmental and social dumping from foreign competitors. Just how hard the EU should hit on wrongdoers remains a major sticking point, however.
EU Parliament approves Morocco aviation deal including Western Sahara
25-Oct-2017 Western Sahara Resource Watch
Opposition referred to the inclusion of Western Sahara, which they say renders the deal illegal under EU law.
Expansion of geographical indications under CETA now in effect in Canada
24-Oct-2017 Lexology
Canada has implemented a number of amendments to the Canadian Trade-marks Act related to the protection of geographical indications, as a result of the trade agreement between Canada and the European Union.
Report from the XXIXth round of negotiations of the trade part of the association agreement between the European Union and Mercosur
24-Oct-2017 European Commission
The XXIXth negotiation round of the trade Part of the EU-Mercosur association agreement took place from 2 to 6 October 2017 in Brasilia.
A tale of two transparencies: why the EU and activists will always disagree over trade deal negotiations
20-Oct-2017 Tech Dirt
Activists are keen to see what is happening in detail throughout the negotiations, not just some top-level view at the start, or the initial textual proposals for each chapter, but nothing afterwards.
Sacrificing South America’s forests on the altar of EU market access
20-Oct-2017 Fern
By making this concession on beef, the EU is putting trade and consumption above its commitments to halt deforestation.
Defending quality PDO products of local societies in international trade agreements
20-Oct-2017 Stop TTIP CETA TiSA Greece
PDO (products designation of origin) products when internationally traded, they are not just commodities but they also incorporate biodiversity, traditional production, know-how and culture of the local communities where they are produced.
New government’s TPPA problems start next week
20-Oct-2017 Scoop
The new government of Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens will have to move fast if they are going to influence the outcomes of trade and investment agreements being negotiated.
Macron puts trade policy on summit table
19-Oct-2017 EU Observer
Macron wants "an overall vision to find a balance between trade openness and protection" of EU markets and citizens, rather than "adding piece after piece" to the EU trade policy "puzzle".
Azerbaijan, EU to hold new round of talks on strategic partnership in late October
19-Oct-2017 Xinhua
European Commission representatives will discuss the second chapter of a new strategic partnership agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union.
EU-Mexico FTA - EU text proposals (Oct 2017)
18-Oct-2017 European Commission
3 text proposals, as released by the European Commission
India-EU FTA: chief negotiators to meet mid-November
18-Oct-2017 PTI
Chief negotiators for the proposed India-EU free trade agreement will meet in New Delhi to discuss the way forward for the resumption of the long-stalled talks over it.
South Africa fails to exploit free trade agreement access to massive EU market
17-Oct-2017 Daily Maverick
So-called SPS – Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary – issues identified as the main culprit. "Sometimes ostensible SPS issues were in fact disguised trade protectionism," said South Africa Trade Minister.
The milk crisis in India: The story behind the numbers
17-Oct-2017 Food Sovereignty Alliance
This book tells the story of how global trends including the ongoing threats of trade agreements such as the EU-India FTA and the RCEP are driving countless small dairy farmers into debt and ultimately out of farming.
France seeks food safety inclusion in EU-Mercosur deal - envoy
17-Oct-2017 Reuters
France will propose changing the European Commission’s mandate to negotiate a trade deal with South America’s Mercosur bloc to include food safety provisions.
Fresh talks on free trade pact with EU to give equal weight to goods, services, investment
16-Oct-2017 The Hindu
India and the European Union (EU) are set to begin talks soon on re-starting stalled negotiations for a free trade pact but New Delhi will not favour pre-conditions, such as prioritising an investment agreement that the 29-member bloc had earlier insisted upon.
The EU-Myanmar IPA threatens emerging democracy
16-Oct-2017 The Irrawaddy
The EU accounts for about 10 percent of foreign direct investment in Myanmar and is keen to raise that number with its planned Investment Protection Agreement (IPA), a wide-ranging agreement on trade that has been in-negotiation in recent years.