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Dispute settlement becomes speculative financial asset
20-Apr-2017 IPS
ISDS provisions of investment treaties, free trade and other agreements have increasingly provided an investment opportunity to make money by speculating on lawsuits.
PACER-Plus trade deal without PNG and Fiji a bad deal
20-Apr-2017 AFTINET
PNG and Fiji’s rejection shows that the agreement is heavily skewed towards the interests of Australia and New Zealand - despite early rhetoric that the agreement was about development needs.
Canada seeks EPA talks with Japan
20-Apr-2017 Japan News
Canada should resume negotiations with Japan for a bilateral economic partnership agreement if a Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact without the United States fails to go into effect, a committee of Canada’s lower house has said.
Tokyo fails to set agenda; bilateral trade talks loom with Washington
20-Apr-2017 The Asahi Shimbun
About the only agreement reached between visiting U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso was to hold a second round of talks.
Australia wants TPP despite US exit: trade minister
20-Apr-2017 Nikkei
Canberra sees benefits for smaller businesses, easier trade and investment.
Mexico, looking south, sees trade deal with Argentina around year’s end
20-Apr-2017 Reuters
Mexico, seeking closer ties with the rest of Latin America, expects to finish negotiations on a trade deal with Argentina involving cars and agricultural products around the end of the year.
MEPs in Ghana and Ivory Coast to monitor EPA implementation
19-Apr-2017 EurActiv
MEPs from the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee are in West Africa this week, to monitor the implementation of Economic Partnership Agreements.
Australia’s 457 visa decision likely to hit free-trade talks with India, officials hint
19-Apr-2017 The Guardian
The Australian government’s decision to scrap a working visa used primarily by Indians is likely to set back efforts to secure a free-trade agreement between the two countries.
Trump’s deficit crusade overshadows Xi’s investment treaty pitch
19-Apr-2017 Bloomberg
Trump wants to have something that can be delivered very quickly, whereas China hopes to push forward the BIT, which will set the framework in years to come.
Australia looking to expand trade with Japan
19-Apr-2017 Tax-news
Australia is seeking to progress the implementation of its free trade agreement with Japan, Trade Minister Steven Ciobo has said.
Treating intellectual property as an investment, and subjecting it to treaty arbitration, can have undesirable impact
19-Apr-2017 Economic Times
Free trade agreements tend to treat intellectual property as an investment made by investor corporations, allowing private investment disputes to be raised against the host country.
Mexico says TPP might still be implemented without U.S.
19-Apr-2017 Reuters
The sweeping trade deal for the Pacific region known as the TPP might still be implemented by making adjustments to its text even though the United States has withdrawn.
El Salvador freezes OceanaGold bank accounts, assets over $8 mln payment
19-Apr-2017 Reuters
El Salvador froze bank accounts and assets belonging to OceanaGold Corp after the mining company refused to pay the country $8 million as mandated by an international court.
TiSA and state-owned enterprises
19-Apr-2017 TNI
Lessons from Uruguay’s withdrawal for other countries in the South.
Philippines Department of Trade and Industry says RCEP will boost growth in the region
18-Apr-2017 Philippine News Agency
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the conclusion of the ASEAN-led free trade agreement RCEP is expected to further strengthen trade in the region.
US beef producers laud Korea-US FTA
18-Apr-2017 Meat Import Council of America
Five years into implementation, the US-Korea free trade agreement has led to an 82 percent jump in annual US beef sales to the Asian nation.
Pence calls for ‘reform’ of KORUS FTA
18-Apr-2017 Korea Herald
US Vice President Mike Pence said the Donald Trump administration is to “review and reform” the free trade pact with South Korea, citing growing trade deficits and “too many barriers” for American firms.
Having a good look at proposed FTA with India: Australia
18-Apr-2017 Business Standard
Australian trade minister said India’s asking goes well beyond anything that Australia has done, in terms of any FTAs put in place, and Australia is not willing to go to that extent.
S. Korea, Israel to hold 4th round of FTA talks Wednesday
18-Apr-2017 KBS
The upcoming talks will focus on products, services, rules of origin, technical barriers to trade(TBT), sanitary and phytosanitary measures(SPS), intellectual property rights, the environment and dispute settlement.
Nepal-US trade talks to focus on boosting output
18-Apr-2017 Kathmandu Post
The bilateral meeting will focus on looking for ways to expand production of the 66 products to which the US has been providing duty-free access through the Trade Preferences Act (TPA).