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Ecuador hesitant over FTA with US
25-Oct-2005 Prensa Latina
Chief Ecuadorian negotiator for the Free Trade Treaty with the US, Manuel Chiriboga, affirmed in a press conference Monday that the next negotiation round will determine whether or not it goes into effect in November.
FTA negotiators fear financial sector liberalisation could trigger capital outflow
25-Oct-2005 MCOT
Dr. Narongchai Akraseranee, chairman of the Working Group on FTA Negotiations, reaffirms that Thailand will not speed up the opening of its financial sector because domestic players are not ready for such competition. The Working Group is also concerned about possible capital outflows once liberalisation frees up deposit transactions.
NZ-US relations: the factors that bind us
25-Oct-2005 stuff
A US-New Zealand FTA remains the ultimate prize.
A Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership (SEP): a case study report with a Chilean perspective
25-Oct-2005
One of the main consequences of globalization has been the expansion of international trade. Bringing down trade barriers and witnessing the alleged ongoing deregulation of the global market seems to be a picture that many find quite alluring.
Snag hit on services: Bilateral FTA talks now at halfway point
24-Oct-2005 Bangkok Post
Thailand is unlikely to gain much benefit from service sector liberalisation in a free trade area (FTA) agreement with the United States, a Thai trade negotiator says as the talks reach their halfway point.
Macedonia, Serbia/Montenegro sign free trade agreement
23-Oct-2005 MIA
Macedonian Minister of Economy Fatmir Besimi and Serbia/Montenegro Minister on International Economic Relations Predrag Ivanovic signed Friday a Free Trade Agreement, which envisages full liberalization of trade between Macedonia and Serbia/Montenegro.
India, Mauritius to sign preferential trade pact
23-Oct-2005 Daily Times
Mauritius and India are expected to sign a preferential trade agreement (PTA) next week to boost the island’s exports and provide India with the opportunity to tap into African markets.
China, ASEAN march towards world’s 3rd largest FTA
23-Oct-2005 People’s Daily
With a fast growing trade volume, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are trying to show the world that the planned free trade area will be an accelerator for regional economy.
ASEAN talks hit a trade barrier
23-Oct-2005 The Age
Australia and New Zealand want a comprehensive free trade agreement with ASEAN, but some ASEAN nations have no competition policy, and reject any negotiations on intellectual property and government procurement.
As the TNCs catch you: An analysis of the liberalization of biotechnological products in the Thai-US FTA
21-Oct-2005 APRN
One of the books the Thai Prime Minister suggested his cabinet members read was “As the Future Catches You” by Juan Enriquez, a Mexican writer. The book’s contents relate to the fact that countries need to catch up with the development of biotechnology. Otherwise they will be alienated and left behind.
UNESCO adopts convention to protect diversity
21-Oct-2005 IPS
The United Nations cultural body adopted an international treaty Thursday to protect cultural diversity. This a moral victory, but the real test is whether developing countries will resist US pressure to commit their audiovisual and information services to bilateral trade agreements.
American Chamber warns of urgent measures prior to Free Trade
21-Oct-2005 Dominican Today
The American Chamber of Commerce yesterday submitted to both chambers of Congress a number of administrative and legislative measures that the country should adopt, within the framework of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Central America (DR-CAFTA), while warning that all imported products must be treated with the same guidelines as local goods.
General Motors applauds successful US-Oman Free Trade Agreement
21-Oct-2005 AME Info
General Motors, the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer, applauds the successful conclusion of negotiations to create a US-Oman Free Trade Agreement.
Peters to oppose FTA with China
20-Oct-2005 stuff
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he will continue to oppose a free trade agreement with China, although it is government policy to negotiate one.
Screen quota defenders rally for Unesco draft
20-Oct-2005 JoongAng Daily
The long-running dispute over Korea’s screen quota system is moving onto new ground: the quota’s supporters are rallying around the final draft of a Unesco convention that would exclude the cultural industries in all of the organization’s member states from free trade agreements or World Trade Organization bylaws.
The dynamics of regional trading arrangements
20-Oct-2005 South Centre
There has been a spate of trade agreements signed between countries in recent years - from the same region and even beyond. And this may not necessarily have to do with the fact that it has been a tough going for the multilateral trading system. Regionalism may have its own dynamics.
Romanian lawyers won an USD 353m international arbitration case against an US investor
19-Oct-2005
Romania has won at the International Court of Arbitration in Washington, the case brought by the American company Noble Ventures that contested the Romanian state actions in the privatization process of Resita Steel Plant (CSR).
Need for FTA between India, Bangladesh: High Commissioner
19-Oct-2005 Asia Pulse
Underscoring the need for a Free Trade Agreement between India and Bangladesh, Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Veena Sikri today said it was important to overcome a "negative" mindset to help boost trade between the two countries.
The global governance of foreign direct investment: madly off in all directions
19-Oct-2005 GURN
Notwithstanding substantial doubts that increased FDI and economic growth are not automatically linked and that investments agreements may be less important in attracting FDI than other economic and socio-political framework conditions, the proliferation of bilateral investments agreements (BITs) goes ahead unrestrained.
Social standards in bilateral and regional trade and investment agreements
19-Oct-2005 GURN
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?