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Global trade - Free for a wealthy few, costly for many
23-Oct-2008 Seattle Medium
I have seen first-hand the effects of “free trade” in several countries, and it is not the fairy tale that the mainstream politicians would have us believe. I have seen men, women and children working 20 hours a day in deplorable conditions to keep up with the influx of foreign goods. I have seen farmers who used to trade corn for clothes struggle because they do not have the cash to participate in the new “free” economy.
Kenyan jobs on the line as regional trading blocs warm up to merger
23-Oct-2008
The pact signed on Wednesday could hasten the proposed African Economic Community but may come too soon, especially for Kenyan manufacturers.
Region’s Ministers call for free trade
23-Oct-2008
The first Tripartite Comesa-EAC-SADC Council of Ministers that opened on Monday at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort seeks the summit of heads of state and governments to endorse the creation of a free trade area which will cut across the three Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and institutionalise it by giving it a legal underpinning.
Quebec herbicide ban violates NAFTA, pesticide maker alleges
23-Oct-2008 CBC
Dow AgroSciences, maker of the commonly used herbicide ingredient 2,4-D, is challenging the Quebec government under the North American Free Trade Agreement for banning its product.
One day strike and Indigenous mobilizations in Colombia
23-Oct-2008 NUPG
In the Cauca region, a twelve-thousand strong Indigenous and Popular Minga (or Assembly) was held in opposition to the militarization of Indigenous, Afro-Colombian and peasant communities/territories. The Assembly also declared it’s firm opposition to the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Canada, U.S. and the European Union.
Declaration of Maputo: V International Conference of La Via Campesina
23-Oct-2008 Via Campesina
Now is also the time to redouble our struggle against FTAs and EPAs, and against the WTO, but this time more clearly indicating the central role played by the TNCs.
Guyana gives in
22-Oct-2008
Guyana on Monday signed off on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe, choosing to do so in Brussels at the headquarters of the European Union Council, five days after its Caricom partners had inked the agreement.
A sign of greater openness
22-Oct-2008
The landmark free trade agreement (FTA) to be inked betweeen Singapore and China on Thursday is a sign of Beijing’s commitment to greater openness with its partners despite the current difficulties in global trade talks, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
As Sarkozy meets Quebec’s Charest, trade barriers may tumble
22-Oct-2008
A deal on labor mobility could spur the movement for a broad Canada-EU trade alliance
ASEAN-Japanese FTA to take effect Dec. 1
22-Oct-2008
A comprehensive free-trade agreement between Japan and the 10-member ASEAN will enter into force Dec. 1, beginning with Japan and countries that have completed domestic ratification procedures by the end of this month, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Overlapping membership to top REC’s summit agenda
22-Oct-2008
The issue of overlapping membership will be a major area of focus during the first joint meeting of Heads of Government, of the three Regional Economic Communities (REC)’s, in Eastern and Southern Africa, namely the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Singapore, China to sign free trade pact in Beijing
22-Oct-2008
Singapore and China will sign a free trade agreement (FTA) in Beijing during a visit there this week by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the city-state’s foreign ministry said Tuesday.
Aso bats for EPA with India
22-Oct-2008
India and Japan have made "substantative progress" in their negotiations on the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), says Prime Minister Taro Aso but the pact is unlikely to be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Tokyo.
EU economic partnership deal years away, officials predict
22-Oct-2008
While negotiations for a wide-ranging economic agreement between Canada and the European Union are slated to begin early in the new year, officials and experts warn that successfully inking a deal is still years away.
Tripartite summit for today
22-Oct-2008
Leaders from 26 African countries meet in Kampala today at a summit called to harmonise and coordinate trade, customs and infrastructure development in the East and Southern African region.
IBSA: Connectivity will ensure the way forward
22-Oct-2008
Can India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) together make more money than they can spend? This was the fervent of the South African High Commissioner Francis Moloi at the third IBSA Business Summit 2008 that recently took place in New Delhi. Considering the three countries lie in different continents, connectivity is a major issue. In fact, integrating the three economies may be the ideal way to combat the global downturn.
Chilean govt open to forging free-trade agreement with RP
22-Oct-2008
The government of Chile is open to forging some form of free-trade pact with the Philippines, seeing that Asian countries, most especially those in the Asean, would be among the major global economic growth drivers in the next few years.
Colombia’s bad indians’ uprising: meeting with Cauca indigenous
21-Oct-2008 Columbia Reports
On October 13, 12,000 indigenous Colombians marched onto the Pan-American highway in Cauca, and refused to lift their blockade until their demands for land, liberty, and life were met by the state. The resulting clashes between protesters and police killed at least two indigenous Colombians, and wounded at least 70 more. This week the indigenous rights groups will march to Cali, the third-largest city in Colombia, to press their demands.
Guyana signs on to EPA in Brussels
21-Oct-2008 CaribWorldNews
Guyana’s President, Bharrat Jagdeo, said he was switching his position after two additional clauses were added to the original deal. The additions include stipulating that Europe would review the agreement every five years to analyze the economic impact the deal had on the Caribbean Community and the Dominican Republic and would make changes should the impact be adverse.
Hong Kong shows CEPA bad for Taiwan
21-Oct-2008 Taiwan News
In the wake of the resumption of cross-strait dialogue, officials of both Taiwan’s restored right-wing Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) government and the Chinese Communist Party-ruled People’s Republic of China have touted plans for the signing of a "closer economic partnership agreement" between the two sides. Largely absent from the debate has been concrete discussion of the experience of Hong Kong.