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trade facilitation


TFTA: Pan-African free trade area announced
TFTA states that its aims include harmonisation and improvement of regional trading arrangements, enhancement of trade facilitation.
COMESA prepares for regional trade facilitation
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has conducted training workshops for stakeholders in transit trade in preparation for the implementation of regional trade facilitation instruments.
COMESA, ZRA launch virtual trade facilitation system
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) have launched the COMESA virtual trade facilitation system (CVTFS) aimed at tracking the movement of cargo to curb illicit trade.
US moves toward greater trade with Africa
Pact with Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda — to be expanded to other countries later on — seen as a stepping stone to full fledged FTA
Fast track trade in the US hits difficulties
President Obama’s hopes that the Fast Track mechanism would go through congress have met opposition from leading Congress Democrat, Harry Reid.
ASEAN set to ink deals with China
ASEAN and Chinese leaders are set to ink two Free Trade Agreements at a bilateral summit later this month: one on sanitary and phytosanitary (animal and plant health) standards; the other would give officials more flexibility in facilitating growth between ASEAN and China.
ACP, LDC sugar suppliers deplore EC’s CAP proposals
The ACP and LDC cane sugar suppliers express their profound concern and dismay at the Commission’s proposals in respect of the elimination of sugar quotas in the context of the CAP reform announced on 12 October 2011.
Developing countries query European bid to abolish sugar quotas
The ACP Sugar Group has recently been made aware through media reports of an “impact study” made by and for the European Commission, reportedly due for release in October 2011. This study refers to proposals for changes in the European sugar regime. It is hoped that this is not accurate as some of the key assumptions and results are more than questionable.
AU’s Ministerial Declaration on EPA negotiations
EPAs should serve as instruments for development and poverty reduction. They must also support the deepening of intra-African trade.
APEC trade ministers agree to promote trade facilitation in RTA/FTAs
APEC Trade Ministers have agreed to develop possible model measures on trade facilitation for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Regional Trading Agreements (RTAs) for endorsement by APEC Leaders in November.
P4 Economic Partnership Agreement - key outcomes
Press release from NZ government outlining key features of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement between Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore.
US pushes bilateral trade pact
US Assistant Trade Representative Barbara Weisel yesterday urged Manila to sign a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with Washington to boost its underperforming economy and keep it globally competitive.
Singapore -Thailand see need to implement ASEAN free trade earlier
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his visiting Singapore counterpart Lee Hsian Loong have shared the same view that the planned ASEAN trade liberalization should be implemented and achieved earlier than originally set in 2020, according to Government Spokesman Chakraphob Penkair.
Indonesia courts the Dragon
Trade liberalization and a push toward enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China are high on the agenda of the new administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Analysis: Laser-Guided Liberalization and Latin America
While the US military unleashed laser-guided weapons of mass destruction on the peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush Administration’s aggressive international trade and investment agenda has developed some “smart bombs” of its own.
Regionalism and the multilateral trade system
Regional trade agreements (RTAs) are an integral part of international trade, accounting for almost half of world trade and expected to grow further in the next few years. These agreements operate alongside global multilateral agreements under the World Trade Organization (WTO), and have both positive and negative effects.