bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

All articles

China to impose further limits on ECFA trade agreement with Taiwan
22-Jan-2024 Taiwan News
Following Beijing’s decision to revoke several preferential tariff provisions under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between China and Taiwan, Beijing looks set to impose more limitations and may be preparing to scrap the ECFA entirely.
Avocado farm workers in Michoacán file USMCA labor complaint
22-Jan-2024 Mexico News Daily
Claiming that RV Fresh Foods has violated their labor rights, a group representing local workers filed a petition under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the free trade pact that superseded NAFTA.
Japan and Bangladesh to negotiate economic partnership agreement
22-Jan-2024 Nikkei Asia
Japan and Bangladesh are set to agree to launch negotiations for an economic partnership agreement as early as end of the month, with the countries aiming to seal the deal in 2025.
EFTA updates free trade agreement with Chile
22-Jan-2024 Swiss Info
The countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), of which Switzerland is a member, and Chile have concluded negotiations to modernise their free trade agreement.
Nexo initiates international arbitration case against Bulgaria
22-Jan-2024 Novinite
Cryptocurrency-based financial services company Nexo has filed a case against Bulgaria in an international arbitration court in the USA.
China and Switzerland to revive push to upgrade free-trade agreement
22-Jan-2024 South China Morning Post
China and Switzerland will start talks to upgrade their free-trade agreement, Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced in Bern on Monday, as he opened his 2024 diplomatic calendar with an official visit to the Alpine nation.
Thailand and EFTA expect to wrap up free trade agreement by year-end
22-Jan-2024 The Nation Thailand
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday met with the president of Switzerland, Viola Amherd, to discuss a free trade agreement between Thailand and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Both parties are determined to have the deal finalised by the end of the year.
Japan eyes Latin America for mega-FTA to secure minerals, food security
22-Jan-2024 Nikkei Asia
Japan is gearing up to enhance its economic ties with Central and South America in 2024 by pursuing an Economic Partnership Agreement deal with the Southern Common Market known as Mercosur.
India, European trade bloc close to inking deal after 16 yrs of talks
22-Jan-2024 The Times of India
European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the four-nation trading bloc comprising Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, is close to signing a trade agreement with India.
Sri Lanka and Thailand set to sign landmark free trade agreement
22-Jan-2024 BNN Breaking
Sri Lanka and Thailand are set to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on February 3rd, a strategic play expected to bolster bilateral trade to over US$ 1.5 billion. The signing ceremony will witness the presence of Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, on his visit to Sri Lanka.
EFTA and India meet in Delhi for 21st round of negotiations towards a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement
19-Jan-2024 EFTA
Delegations from the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – and India gathered in Delhi from 8 to 13 January 2024 for an intense 21st round of negotiations towards a trade agreement.
India did well in not joining RCEP
19-Jan-2024 The Hindu BusinessLine
In the two years since it came into force, RCEP has benefited China much more than other member nations.
The USA’s removal of Uganda, Niger, Gabon and the Central Africa Republic from the AGOA has only a limited impact
17-Jan-2024 CREDENDO
The USA’s removal of Uganda, Niger, Gabon and the Central African Republic from the AGOA has only a limited impact.
24 more African countries join AfCFTA pilot initiative – Report
17-Jan-2024 Punch
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement received a significant boost as twenty-four more countries join the Guided Trade Initiative, moving the continent closer to fully integrating into a single market.
Islamabad accepts Riyadh-Doha term to allow international arbitration incase of dispute
17-Jan-2024 The News
Pakistan has negotiated to include a graduated approach for settlement of investment disputes between the state and investors.
Majority of India-UK FTA issues either closed or at advanced stage of talks: Official
17-Jan-2024 Financial Express
The discussions on the majority of policy areas in the free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK have either been closed or are in an advanced stage of negotiation.
Hong Kong investors plan AT1 action against Switzerland
16-Jan-2024 Nikkei Asia
Investors in Hong Kong are preparing to file a request for arbitration against the Swiss government for writing off the AT1 bonds issued by Credit Suisse, claiming the move was at odds with a bilateral investment treaty between the jurisdictions.
TUC and unions in Turkey call for trade talks to be suspended
16-Jan-2024 TUC
The TUC and our sister trade union confederations in Türkiye KESK and DISK issued a statement in January 2021 calling for the UK-Türkiye trade agreement signed in 2020 to be suspended due to abuses of labour and human rights in Türkiye.
Australia announces trade deal negotiations with UAE, despite human rights and labour concerns
16-Jan-2024 AFTINET
Critics have highlighted that the UAE is only Australia’s 19th largest trading partner, and have said that the economic benefits are outweighed by the reputational risk Australia takes by implicitly endorsing the UAE’s poor human rights and labour practices through an FTA.
EU urged to conclude Mercosur trade talks amid environmental concerns
16-Jan-2024 Dairy Reporter
A total of 23 trade bodies have called for the swift approval of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, which will make it easier to export EU agri-food products including key dairy commodities to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay and vice versa.