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Social standards in bilateral and regional trade and investment agreements
Is the stalemate over the incorporation of core labour standards at the multilateral WTO level being compensated for by progressive promotion of labour rights in bilateral and regional agreements?
Bilateral and regional trade agreements: Report of a GURN online discussion
In order to increase and improve trade union participation in trade agreements an online discussion was organised in March 2005, over 4 weeks, which considered the involvement of trade unions in trade agreements, the role they play and the influence they have on the final outcome of trade agreements.
Real deal is in the fine print
For Australian manufacturing companies the key concessions of any FTA with China are only half the battle - the devil is in the detail.
Japan, Chile to begin free trade talks: report
Japan and Chile are likely to begin formal negotiations next year on an economic partnership centring on a free trade agreement (FTA), a newspaper said.
China-ASEAN FTA steps into implementation period
With cooperation between China and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) deepening, the construction of a China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) has entered a full-spectrum cooperation period, said Chong Quan, spokesman for China’s Commerce Ministry.
Mitsubishi eyes Asia for expansion
Japan’s Mitsubishi Motor has set its sights on Thailand and other Asian nations for future expansion, the president of the automaker said on Tuesday. "With FTAs (free trade agreements) envisioned with Asian countries, such as ASEAN and India, we should reap benefits of such initiatives," Masuko said.
Japanese investment in Indonesia to double
The Indonesian government expects Japan’s investment and the value of export by Japanese companies in Indonesia to double in the coming five years, as the first-round negotiation between the Indonesian and Japanese governments on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) has run smoothly.
Filipino solons to probe 35 unratified bilateral agreements
Philippine House Committees on globalization and trade will study 35 bilateral agreements the Philippines forged over the past decades with some countries.
Top US executives set for FTA tour of Central America
Taking advantage of a newly approved free trade agreement, the US begins a commercial offensive in Central America this coming week, prompting concerns that local economies weakened by recent floods could represent easy targets for US corporations.
Bush notifies Congress of intent to sign FTA with Oman
"Entering into an FTA with Oman will build on the FTAs that we already have with Israel, Jordan, and Morocco, as well as the FTA that we have concluded with Bahrain, and will be an important step on the path to fulfilling my vision of developing economic growth and democracy in the Middle East and creating a US Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) by 2013."
BOK head calls for FTAs in N-E Asia
The nation’s top central banker Monday stressed the need for speeding up the formation of free trade agreements (FTAs) among Korea, China and Japan, to boost regional cooperation and mutual investment.
An eye for an eye? Disregarding fairness, disconnecting from the FTAA
Latin American countries have rightly learned to be apprehensive over the domination of the United States, and it is this reluctance that is behind their slowdown over the FTAA.
Dangerous liaison
Under the guise of freeing trade, bilateral trade agreements (BTAs) are being used as a tool to further an absolute top-down Northern agenda, at the victimization of the poor and marginalized groups and communities of the South.
Developed world undermining WTO spirit through FTAs
FTAs are being designed by the developed countries to get more than what the WTO and TRIPS could give at this stage.
Finance liberalisation: Cabinet baulks on alien law changes
Thai Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said yesterday that proposed amendments to the Alien Business Act would not be presented to the Cabinet today, apparently because of growing public resentment about further opening up the country to foreign investors.
Trade accord with US
Security has been so dominant in the past in Seoul’s relations with Washington, its sole military ally, that other crucial agenda items have often failed to draw adequate attention from top South Korean policymakers.
RP, Korea finalizing free trade agreement
The Philippines and South Korea are drafting a framework of agreement for the proposed free trade area in time for the visit of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun to the Philippines in December this year.
First round of AGCC free-trade talks with India, Pakistan to begin by mid-November
The first round of free trade negotiations between the Gulf Cooperation Council and India and Pakistan will commence by the middle of November 2005.
BIMSTEC to set up body for FTA enforcement
The ongoing eighth meeting of BIMSTEC trade-negotiation committee (TNC) has decided to set up a separate body to oversee the enforcement of free trade accord among the seven member states once it is finalized.
Japan, China, S. Korea aim to conclude investment talks in Nov.
Japan, China and South Korea agreed Friday they will aim to conclude in late November talks to explore a trilateral legal framework for investment, as they failed to do so during the latest meeting in Tokyo, Japanese officials said.