bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Articles by language

EN
ES
FR
DE
HI
NL
PT
JA
ID
TL
FTAs key to accessing new markets
29-Apr-2005
Despite the pitfalls and opportunities inherent in FTAs, they are sweeping the world and will continue growing as long as the World Trade Organisation is unable to coordinate comprehensive tariff reductions worldwide, experts said at a Bangkok seminar yesterday. Thus, Thai exporters were advised to try to work within the confines of bilateral and regional pacts.
Framework agreement between Mercosur and GCC is ready to be signed
28-Apr-2005
The text of the framework of the free trade agreement between the Mercosur and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is ready to be singed, a Brazilian foreign ministry official has disclosed.
EU worries that Thai-Japan FTA could hit auto industry
28-Apr-2005
The proposed Thai-Japanese free trade agreement should be carefully considered so as not to disadvantage other trading partners, European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson told Thailand yesterday.
S.Korea, US to hold FTA feasibility meeting in Washington
28-Apr-2005
South Korea and the United States will hold a third working-level meeting this week to review the feasibility of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Trilateral free trade agreement
28-Apr-2005
Not too long ago, the entire country and the National Assembly agonized over the ratification of Korea-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Its final National Assembly passage was delayed from the strong opposition of many people, particularly from farmers. It is remarkable to learn that the Korean government is now either negotiating or planning to negotiate with as many as 50 countries to complete their FTAs by 2007.
Fidel’s Presence at the Inauguration of the Fourth Summit of the Battle Against the FTAAs
28-Apr-2005 Granma, Cuba
The Fourth Summit on the Battle against the FTAAs was launched in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro in Palacio de las Convenciones.
FTA prompts boost in logistics cooperation with China
28-Apr-2005
Thailand is poised to open at least four new consulates in China, and is accelerating the development of logistics operations with China in anticipation of the birth of the Chinese-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade aAea in 2010, Deputy Foreign Minister Preecha Laohapongchana revealed today.
Flop Trade Agreements: Exports need policy impetus, not low tariffs
28-Apr-2005
The global experience on FTAs suggests that regional FTAs (e.g. EU) and those between the North and the South (NAFTA) work. However, South-South FTAs are less inspiring. A key issue is whether the economies of the countries entering into an FTA complement or compete with each other.
The Fourth Hemispheric Summit against the FTAA launches today.
27-Apr-2005 Granma
The current situation of the FTAAs negotiating process and the campaign of the people’s struggle against this annexation plan devised by the US Government will be analysed from today in the Fourth Hemispheric Summit of the Battle Against FTAAs.
EU and ASEAN to study possible free trade deal
27-Apr-2005 Jakarta Post
The European Community and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to study the potential for a free trade agreement between the two groups, trade officials said on Wednesday.
Rice calls on Brazil to ’reenergize’ free trade talks
27-Apr-2005 Bloomberg
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Brazil to "reenergize" talks with the US on the proposed Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.
Textile makers oppose FTA over origin of raw materials
26-Apr-2005
Thai textile and garment producers say they will lose opportunities to sell to Japan if conditions requested by Tokyo are incorporated into a free trade area (FTA) agreement now being negotiated.
Editorial: Asian FTA negotiations: It’s up to Tokyo to set a positive example
26-Apr-2005 Asahi Shumbun
The Thailand-Japan free trade agreement will be counterproductive in Japan’s trade negotiations with other countries in the days ahead.
Sound CAFTA alarm bells
26-Apr-2005 Bangor News
International trade agreements are boring. Mention the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) in most social settings and people’s eyes glaze over. The pros and cons of NAFTA, and now CAFTA, debate trade-offs between tariffs, consumer prices and job growth or loss. Since most of us are not economists, these discussions seem tedious and complicated.
United States pursues more free-trade agreements in the Middle East
26-Apr-2005 Daily Star
Trying to entrench its economic and political ties in the region, and blaming the Gulf Cooperation Council’s slowness in devising region-wide economic measures, the United States is aggressively pursuing a number of free-trade agreements in this part of the Middle East.
Thailand-US FTA: "Whatever we have to sacrifice must be sacrificed, if that helps get a better deal"
26-Apr-2005 Focus
The third round of Thailand-US free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations ended on 8 April with great disappointment for civil society activists because people’s demand and concerns were cast aside.
EHP reaps fruit of its success
26-Apr-2005 China Daily
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are making encouraging progress with the early harvest programme (EHP), which the two economies launched in January 2004.
Proliferation of bilateral FTAs will not undermine WTO process
26-Apr-2005 Bernama
The proliferation of bilateral free trade agreements (FTA) will not undermine the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) process but instead may smoothen it, Malaysia’s International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said.
Filipinos protest lopsided Japan-RP deal; demand disclosure of Japan-RP trade negotiations
26-Apr-2005 Manila IMC
The SNR Coalition scored today the ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreeement between the Japan and Philippine governments called Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) which was to be completed and signed in July of this year.
The regional free trade juggernaut - A poisoned chalice
25-Apr-2005
Last week saw both the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and Thailand and another round of negotiations with Chile and Singapore on a Closer Economic Partnership, (P-3) probably now ’successfully’ concluded. "Yet few New Zealanders know about these agreements and their negative implications for many of the worst off citizens in all the countries involved", says the Action Research and Education Network of Aotearoa (ARENA).