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NAFTA prohibits collective bargaining in North Carolina
24-Apr-2008 CIMAC
Male and female workers in North Carolina, USA, request the right to freedom of association to carry out collective bargaining and to choose their representatives in every work centre.
Guatemala accused in CAFTA labor complaint
24-Apr-2008 LA Times
Guatemalan and US labor groups filed a complaint Wednesday with the US Department of Labor alleging that Guatemala had failed to uphold its own labor laws as required under the Central American Free Trade Agreement.
Indonesia hindering Asean FTA
24-Apr-2008 Economic Times
Indonesia has turned out to be the surprise sore point in the proposed India-Asean free trade agreement (FTA) that was scheduled to be in place last month. Jakarta’s insistence on offering lower market access to India than other Asean members has held up the pact.
Business heads seek better environment for Japan-S. Korea FTA talks
23-Apr-2008 MCOT
Business leaders from Japan and South Korea on Monday asked their governments to create a favorable environment for the two neighboring countries to restart negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement.
S. Korea and Japan to resume free trade talks
23-Apr-2008 Hankyoreh
Wrangling over agricultural and auto-parts market opening likely to continue
Australia to gain $US22 billion from FTA with Korea
23-Apr-2008 Farm Online
Federal Trade Minister, Simon Crean, has welcomed the key findings of a non-government study into the feasibility of a free trade agreement between Australia and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
Chile extends a warm hand, offers FTA with India
23-Apr-2008 Indian Express
Even as the Brazilian Parliament is yet to ratify the India-Mercusor Preferential Trade Agreement signed by its President Lula in 2004, another South American country, Chile, has thrown a surprise on Tuesday, suggesting that it was willing to upgrade its Preferential Trade Agreement with India, signed in 2006, to the level of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
India to provide textiles’ duty free market for SAFTA
23-Apr-2008
India will provide duty reduction to the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) member countries ranging from zero to five percent within ten years, said Minister of State for Textiles, E V K S Elangovan today.
EU hails EAC over trade deals
23-Apr-2008
The European Union has commended the East African Community for striking "a good deal,"following the initialling of an interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) at the end of last year.
Civil society groups call for establishment of Commission on Globalisation
23-Apr-2008
Civil society groups have called for the establishment of a new Commission on Globalisation and Development Strategies within the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Minister: New Zealand-ASEAN free trade deal close
23-Apr-2008
New Zealand Trade Minister Phil Goff said on Wednesday that free trade talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) may be finished by June.
FTA with China not a priority: Govt.
23-Apr-2008
The government on Wednesday said a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China was not a "priority" for India due to "deep divisions" within the government and opposition from the industry.
Lee urges parliament to approve KORUS FTA in May
22-Apr-2008
President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday (Apr. 22) renewed his calls for the parliament to convene a special session during May to ratify the long-delayed Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA).
Dominican Government sacrificed RD$2.3B with Free Trade
22-Apr-2008
Figures from the Customs Agency (DGA) show Dominican Government has sacrificed RD$2.3 billion since the United States-Central America Free Trade Agreement began.
Overhauling free trade deals a must: Report
22-Apr-2008
The EU will do irrevocable damage to the development prospects of some of the smallest and poorest countries in the world unless it overhauls free trade deals due to be finalised this year, Oxfam said in a report yesterday.
Chile moots FTA, India apprehensive
22-Apr-2008
Chile on Tuesday offered a platform for India to access Latin American markets but New Delhi appeared not forthcoming on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Senate ‘okays’ JPEPA but sets stiff conditions
22-Apr-2008 PDI
Saying her committee had done a “technical makeover” of the proposed treaty, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago Monday formally recommended that the Senate give its “conditional concurrence” to the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
Rudd may give China investment rights
21-Apr-2008
The Rudd government is considering giving cashed-up Chinese companies the same investment rights enjoyed by the US in a bid to revitalise free-trade talks.
Spain extending its reach into Africa
21-Apr-2008 IPS
Spain has expanded its presence in Africa by recently signing trade agreements with Egypt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The agreement with Egypt includes regular bilateral summits similar to Spain’s annual meetings with Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Both agreements will facilitate the entry of more Spanish companies into Africa.
S Korean farmers accuse Govt of ’selling out’ to US beef
21-Apr-2008 Trading Markets
South Korean farmers and civic groups on Friday accused the government of surrendering to US pressure in rewriting Seoul’s beef import rules. Groups including the Hanwoo Association, the Korea Dairy Beef Farmers Association and the Korean Advanced Farmers Federation said negotiators gave up the right to protect South Koreans from the health risks of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, more commonly called mad cow disease.