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Secret Trans - Pacific (TPP) deal lacks detail on medicines, includes corporate rights to sue governments
6-Oct-2015 AFTINET
The lack of access to details in the text means governments can put a positive spin on the deal, but the devil is in the detail.
Trade officials announce conclusion of TPP—now the real fight begins
6-Oct-2015 Electronic Frontier Fondation
The fact that close to 800 million Internet users’ rights to free expression, privacy, and access to knowledge online hinged upon the outcome of squabbles over trade rules on cars and milk is precisely why digital policy consideration do not belong in trade agreements.
Lack of local land rights harms fight against poverty, climate change - researchers
5-Oct-2015 Trust
Indigenous people and local communities lack legal rights to almost three quarters of their traditional lands, sparking social conflict and undermining international plans to curb poverty, hunger and climate change.
Some highlights of the new 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal
5-Oct-2015 The Brandon Sun
Some highlights of the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement as described by the Canadian government Monday as it shared details of a deal to create the largest-ever regional trading bloc.
Trans-Pacific Partnership ministers’ statement
5-Oct-2015 USTR
The trade ministers of Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and Vietnam, have successfully concluded the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Trans-Pacific Partnership: ’50/50’ chance of trade deal today as negotiators lock horns over medical patent protection
4-Oct-2015 ABC
Australia — along with others such as New Zealand and Chile — has been unwilling to offer more than five years protection for the medicines, because longer terms would increase the cost of state-subsidised medical programs.
U.S., Australia agree on complicated compromise on biologic drugs
4-Oct-2015 WSJ
Countries in the trade bloc would have an alternative of either providing eight years of exclusivity to biologic drugs, or providing five years of so-called data exclusivity plus up to three more years under a regulatory framework in the TPP.
Tentative U.S.-Vietnam ’consistency plan’ links tariff benefits to labor compliance
4-Oct-2015 World Trade Online
Vietnam has tentatively agreed with the United States on a fully enforceable implementation plan to bring its labor regime into compliance with the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Don’t let TPP lock Peru into unequal trade
4-Oct-2015 La República
TPP negotiators hope to finalize the agreement in the next few days. Political leaders will boast of promoting the well-being of their people and countries. But the reality is that special interests have been given far too much influence on the negotiations.
US, Australia drug dispute is holding up settlement of the Trans Pacific trade deal
4-Oct-2015 The Australian Financial Review
A standoff between Australia and the United States on monopoly rules for pharmaceutical drugs has emerged as the ultimate impediment to clinching an historic trade deal sweeping across 12 Pacific Rim countries.
TTIP negotiations will not include fixed book prices: Börsenverein welcomes official confirmation from EU Commission
3-Oct-2015 EIBF
The EU Commission will by no means discuss fixed book prices as part of negotiations relating to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)
TPP talks snagged over Malaysia’s stand on SOEs
3-Oct-2015 The Star
SOEs are Malaysia’s toughest issue in the TPP negotiations.
Latest TIFA talks ’productive’: US
2-Oct-2015 The China Post
The latest round of trade talks between Taiwan and the U.S. under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) made much ground in a number of areas but both sides have yet to reach consensus on issues such as U.S. pork imports.
TIFA talks ignore interests of ordinary citizens: groups
2-Oct-2015 Taipei Times
The latest round of Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) talks with the US ignores the interests of ordinary citizens, labor activists said yesterday.
TPP carve out for tobacco shows core flaws in investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)
2-Oct-2015 Info Justice
The new exception validates, rather than assuages, the concerns of those who have been criticizing ISDS systems for many years. Without express carve outs, ISDS provisions do threaten common health and safety regulations.
Free trade and protectionism don’t mix
2-Oct-2015 Ottawa Citizen
Dairy farmers from around Ottawa took their cows and tractors to Parliament Hill this week, to protest the changes they expect in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
Regional free trade deals may create ’legal mess’ within WTO framework
2-Oct-2015 Sputnik
New regional mega-agreements on free trade between the United States, Europe, Pacific Rim nations and some World Trade Organization (WTO) members will create numerous legal problems within the WTO framework.
Foreign direct investment, investment agreements and economic development: myths and realities
2-Oct-2015 South Centre
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is one of the most ambiguous and the least understood concepts in international economics. Common debate on FDI is confounded by several myths regarding its nature and impact.
Malaysia should withdraw from TPP, says Malay economic body
2-Oct-2015 The Malaysian Insider
Malaysia should withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) now, said a Malay economic group, warning that the contentious trade deal will result in negative economic growth and have implications on the country’s sovereignty.
US pushes anti-tobacco compromise in Pacific trade deal
2-Oct-2015 The Edge Markets
Governments will be allowed to block tobacco companies from suing over anti-smoking measures under a US proposal being considered by Pacific trading partners as part of Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.