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The corporate attack on the movement for trade justice
7-Sep-2017 CEO
Corporate lobbies and think tanks have gone on what appears to be a concerted attack against NGOs and other groups opposing new free trade and investment deals. A new report from Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl exposes how big business interests with the most to gain from the trade agreements have been trying to undermine and discredit civil society groups.
CSOs challenge PH trade negotiators: Take Philippines out of RCEP!
7-Sep-2017 People over Profit
Philippine civil society groups and social movements stand together to oppose RCEP
Belgium asks European Court on legality of investment protection in CETA
6-Sep-2017 FOEE
Belgium has requested an opinion from the European Court of Justice on the ’Investment Court System’ included in the EU-Canada trade deal, to determine if the ICS is compatible with the European Treaties
India to offer investment sops to RCEP nations
6-Sep-2017 Live Mint
In a break from past trade pacts, India has agreed to ’ratchet’ and ’MFN-forward’ clauses, providing future domestic policy concessions in investment and services sectors to RCEP members with a five-year gap
US Chamber opposes strongly withdrawal from KORUS FTA
6-Sep-2017 Business Korea
The US Chamber of Commerce issues a statement opposing US withdrawal from KORUS, says it would not create a single American job
Singapore court sets aside award against Lesotho
6-Sep-2017 African Law Business
The Singapore High Court has set aside an investor-state arbitral award on the merits against the Kingdom of Lesotho. The case is an important one, as it concerns whether investors can use arbitration to resolve cases that were pending before the SADC Tribunal when it was dissolved by the SADC Summit in 2014.
Saharawi organisations slam EU over trade talks with Morocco
5-Sep-2017 Western Sahara Resource Watch
"Seeking to circumvent the ECJ’s ruling, directly challenges the credibility of the EU, and significantly damages the potential for progress through the UN-led negotiation process", Saharawi groups qualify the EU’s talks with Morocco regarding Western Sahara trade, in their letter to the EU’s Foreign Affairs Chief.
Liam Fox: We have turned down free trade deals because we do not have capacity
5-Sep-2017 Politics Home
The UK has turned down countries wishing to strike free trade deals after Brexit because the Government does not have the capacity to negotiate them, the International Trade Secretary has said.
US demands agro tariffs be lifted
5-Sep-2017 Korea Times
The United States has demanded South Korea eliminate all tariffs on US agricultural goods, according to a news report.
Turkey, Singapore ratify free trade agreement in significant bilateral milestone
5-Sep-2017 Straits Times
Turkey and Singapore have ratified a bilateral Free Trade Agreement that will enter into force on 1 October.
India-European FTA talks this month
5-Sep-2017 IANS
India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) will meet this month in an attempt to conclude their long pending negotiations, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here on Friday.
Substantial conclusion of RCEP this year unlikely
4-Sep-2017 Manila Bulletin
Efforts to achieve a conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations by end of this year appear headed for rough waters as members of the Trans Pacific Partnership push for steep hurdles that are difficult for non-TPP members, like the Philippines, to comply with
Would Vodafone comply with Delhi high court order?
4-Sep-2017 Live Mint
The Delhi high court has passed an ex-parte order restraining Vodafone Group Plc. from proceeding with arbitration under the India-UK Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (India-UK BIPA). However, it remains to be seen whether Vodafone would comply with this order of the court.
FTAs, PTAs need to be revisited
3-Sep-2017
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) recommended the government to revisit and negotiate anew the existing Free Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Agreements
AmCham wants Duterte, Trump to jump-start FTA
3-Sep-2017 Business Mirror
American businessmen are asking Manila and Washington to include a discussion on a “21st century free-trade agreement” (FTA) in the anticipated meeting between US President Donald J. Trump and President Duterte in Manila in November.
Trump says he’s looking into South Korea trade accord future
3-Sep-2017 Bloomberg
President Donald Trump said he would discuss the future of the US-South Korea free-trade agreement with his advisers following a newspaper report that he’s considering terminating the pact.
Romanian Unesco site proposal may be halted to allow gold mining
1-Sep-2017 The Guardian
Romania’s prime minister has suggested his government will withdraw an application to have the Roman gold-mining area of Roșia Montană declared a Unesco world heritage site, potentially reviving controversial plans to resume mining.
Juncker proposes fast-tracking EU trade deals
1-Sep-2017 Politico
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker aims to solve one of the greatest weaknesses of EU trade policy by proposing fast-track ratification of trade deals that would eliminate the need for approval by some 40 parliaments across Europe.
TPP 11 Sydney meeting vindicates community concerns
1-Sep-2017 AFTINET
TPP 11 negotiators have agreed to suspend controversial clauses on medicine monopolies and some governments want to renegotiate other clauses, vindicating public interest group concerns
Govt will lose gold mine dispute due to Article 44 use: academics
1-Sep-2017 The Nation
FTA Watch warns that Thailand would most certainly lose an arbitral tribunal process regarding allegations that it violated the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement, exposing the country to huge losses due to claims for compensation.