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EU

Two years target for FTA conclusion with EU very ambitious, says Asean Sec-Gen
8-Aug-2008 Bernama
Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan today shot down the possibility of a speedy conclusion of the European Union-Asean Free Trade Agreement
EU-Asean minus FTA expected in three years’ time
6-Aug-2008 Bernama
An EU-Asean Minus Free Trade Agreement — likely to exclude Laos, Burma and Cambodia — is expected to be established within the next two to three years’ time, a European Commission official in Indonesia said.
Brussels and Israel. EU agreement reached to liberalise trade in Agricultural and Fishery Products
5-Aug-2008 BYM
Negotiators have reached a preliminary agreement to further liberalise trade in agricultural and processed agricultural products and fish and fishery products between the European Union and the State of Israel
Spotlight turns to EPA’s as Doha talks fail
2-Aug-2008
With the failure of the Doha development round trade talks fresh in everyone’s minds, the focus now shifts to the equally controversial Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA’s).
Sept 2 signing of EPA now uncertain
30-Jul-2008 Jamaica Observer
There are new uncertainties surrounding the proposed signing of the full Economic Partnership Agreement on September 2 between the European Union and CARIFORUM - the Caribbean Community member states and the Dominican Republic.
Peruvians slam President’s stance on Bolivia
30-Jul-2008 Prensa Latina
Alan Garcia’s reference to the differences between Lima and La Paz on an Association Agreement between the Andean Community of Nations and the European Union, referring to the format of the free trade agreement with the United States, which Bolivia rejects, is regrettable experts say
PM embraces reservations about EPA
29-Jul-2008
Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer indicated that there are still lingering questions over whether Caricom countries will all sign on to the European Union-Cariforum Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) next month, though he has maintained his personal support for the idea of moving forward with the agreement.
FTA delay ’not an option’
29-Jul-2008
Businessmen on both sides are pushing the GCC and the European Union towards a free trade agreement - or the next best thing, according to Bahrain-based weekly business intelligence magazine The Gulf.
Caribbean urged to renegotiate EPA
28-Jul-2008
A former chief negotiator for the region said it is not too late for Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries to pull out of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe.
EU hints at FTA talks even if WTO discussions fail
28-Jul-2008
European Union on Monday hinted at continuation of bilateral negotiations on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India even if the ongoing WTO negotiations at Geneva fails.
The structure and trends of economic relationship between Thailand and the EU
23-Jul-2008 FTA Watch
A review of the potential direction and impacts of an EU-ASEAN FTA, particularly on Thailand, commissioned by FTA Watch
EPA or development? Your choice
23-Jul-2008 Afrique Echos
The EPA will be disastrous for Africa. Its acceptance would amount to locking the continent into some kind of economic vacuum where its manouevring space would be drastically limited because of the exclusivity of such a deal, especially since the evidence shows that no country in the world has taken off with such bogus and demeaning arrangements.
Intellectual property in the EPA: broad scope, huge impact - Part III
23-Jul-2008 Jamaica Observer
Article 149 requires the EC Party and the Signatory CARIFORUM states to provide for the protection of plant varieties in accordance with the TRIPS Agreement and to consider, in this connection, accession to UPOV, 1991.
Guyana accuses Europe of trade bullying
23-Jul-2008 FT
The Caribbean could suffer economically if a proposed free trade agreement between several regional countries and the European Union is signed because of damaging flaws in the deal, according to Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana’s president. “Europe negotiated in bad faith. We were bullied into this.”
Costa Rica targets trends for greater food exports
22-Jul-2008 foodnavigator.com
Costa Rican food companies are focusing on major trends like organics and social values to build their export platform, as an association agreement between the EU and Central America is expected to be reached in 2009.
Chronology - CARIFORUM/EPA agreement
20-Jul-2008 Jamaica Gleaner
In the light of the ongoing debate on the economic partnership agreement (EPA), the Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade has released a chronology of the CARIFORUM EC/EPA negotiations
EU-Ghana interim EPA (2008)
19-Jul-2008
ASEAN to push for free trade deals: document
18-Jul-2008 AFP
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is expected to endorse a continued push for free trade agreements with Australia & New Zealand, the EU and India during talks this weekend, a draft document said Friday.
Guyana asks for more time on EPA
17-Jul-2008 Caribbean World News
The Guyana government wants more time to consider "troubling" aspects of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. "No Government can be deaf to the outcry of important groups in its society," Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues, said. "We are democracies, not command economies. If our populations do not believe the agreement is in their interest, if they believe it has been imposed upon them, it will not work."
Intellectual property in the EPA: Broad scope huge impact - Part II
17-Jul-2008 Jamaica Observer
Jamaica enacted legislation for the protection of GIs through the Protection of Geographical Indications Act of 2004. However, protection under the law strictly complies with the standards laid out in the TRIPS Agreement and does not contemplate the "TRIPS plus" and "TRIPS extra" elements incorporated in the EPA.