bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

All articles

Two major cooperatives ask government to keep dairy sector outside FTA negotiations purview
22-May-2017 Financial Express
The country’s two major dairy cooperatives have urged the government to keep dairy products outside the ongoing trade negotiations with various blocs including hugely milk surplus regions.
A turning of the tide against ISDS?
19-May-2017 EJIL: Talk!
The Court of Justice for the European Union fired a significant shot at investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), and the result is likely to be much more than just a flesh wound.
BRICS in Africa: more of the same? Pacs’ study compares investment treaties between the BRICS and African countries
19-May-2017 PACS
The BRICS Group was born in the century XXI with renewed expectations of changes in the world order through greater participation of the Global South. However, what we have witnessed so far is the consolidation of a new/old unequal world order.
U.S. seeks to shift trade tides as it starts Nafta overhaul
18-May-2017 Bloomberg
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer gave official notice to Congress of the government’s intention to renegotiate the 23-year-old accord with Mexico and Canada.
SA and UK start making plans for post-Brexit trade
18-May-2017 Business Day
Nations agree in principle to implement interim arrangement based on existing EU partnership deal.
Harmony in the private sector on NAFTA priorities
18-May-2017 Politico
US lobby groups to team up with their Mexican counterparts to establish a common agenda before talks begin
Why RCEP is the problem, not the solution
18-May-2017 Inquirer.net
RCEP negotiations have been highly conspiratorial and undemocratic, with all 18 rounds of trade discussions held in secret and no reports shared with the public
Trade pact dumped by Trump could be revived at Asia-Pacific meeting
17-May-2017 Reuters
Japan and other remaining members of the Trans Pacific Partnership will decide at the APEC meeting in Vietnam how to revive the trade agreement ditched by U.S. President Donald Trump.
EU ruling could complicate new trade deals - including UK’s
17-May-2017 NZ Herald
If all parliaments in member states have to approve international trade deals, future trade deals may take even longer than they already do to come to fruition.
Africa’s free trade agreement: A step too far?
17-May-2017 GTR
Plans to establish a single market for the 26 African countries in the Eastern and Southern African region – known as the tripartite free trade area (TFTA) – could be overly ambitious.
US oil firm Cobalt files for arbitration against Angola for $2 bln
17-May-2017 Reuters
U.S. oil firm Cobalt said it had filed requests for arbitration seeking more than $2 billion from Angola’s state-run Sonangol.
RCEP’s digital trade negotiations remain shrouded in secrecy
17-May-2017 Electronic Frontier Foundation
There has also been no official release of the chapters and textual proposals related to rules that are being tabled.
Nigeria and Morocco move towards a “new generation” of bilateral investment treaties
16-May-2017 EJIL: Talk!
The treaty is an important attempt by two developing countries to move toward a new generation of BITs fully aligned with the evolution of international law.
Australia to launch free trade agreement talks with Hong Kong
16-May-2017 Sydney Morning Herald
Access for white-collar services businesses will be the focus as talks begin over a free trade agreement between Australia and Hong Kong.
Singapore trade deal cannot be concluded by EU alone, ECJ rules
16-May-2017 EurActiv
The European Union will have to secure approval from national parliaments in order to finalise a free trade deal with Singapore. The bloc’s top court ruled that the agreement in “its current form” cannot be handled by the Commission acting alone.
RCEP is undemocratic and anti-development​
15-May-2017 IBON
IBON Foundation Statement for the Stakeholders’ Meeting of the Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC)18th Round of Negotiations on the RCEP
Is international investment law moving the ball forward on IHRL obligations for business enterprises?
15-May-2017 EJIL: Talk!
While the debate on the treaty regulating business impact on human rights is likely to continue for a while longer, some recent developments in international investment law seem to be moving forward on international human rights law obligations for businesses
Withdrawal from investment treaties: An omen for waning investor protection in Asia-Pacific?
15-May-2017 Lexology
While India and Indonesia may have withdrawn from existing BITs, this does not necessarily leave foreign investors without any protection.
India-Chile expanded PTA to come into effect tomorrow
15-May-2017 Financial Express
Chile is the fourth-largest trading partner of India in the LAC (Latin America and Caribbean) region after Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina.
China, Georgia ink free trade agreement
15-May-2017 Xinhua
China and Georgia inked free trade agreement on Saturday to expand bilateral trade.