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Second largest SAARC partner hungry for Lankan exports, FTA trade
8-Jan-2014
Sri Lanka’s second largest trade partner in SAARC, Pakistan, is hungry for more Lankan exports in the coming year-while also closely looking at Sri Lanka’s sugar sector for entry.
DTI to give more lectures on FTAs
8-Jan-2014
To boost the country’s use rate of free trade agreements, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is planning to give more lectures on FTAs the Philippines is party to and tap social media to expand the program’s reach.
South Korea seeks upgrade of FTA with India
8-Jan-2014
South Korea is likely to press India for an upgrade of the bilateral free trade pact when finance ministers of the two countries meet on Wednesday, arguing that its rival Japan was offered a better deal. However, India is unlikely to immediately revise the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in 2009, an official told ET.
Australians to Canadians: Beware TPP economic fallout
8-Jan-2014 rabble.ca
Over 125,000 people have spoken out about the damaging Internet censorship proposals in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Now, our friends in Australia are sounding the alarm about how the TPP could wreak havoc on Canada’s economy.
VN seeks Walmart support in TPP talks
8-Jan-2014 Vienam Net
Viet Nam hopes to have the support of major US retail corporation Walmart in the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations as well as free trade pacts with other countries, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh said yesterday, Jan 7.
Peru opens free trade agreement talks with Armenia
8-Jan-2014 Agencia Andina
Peru’s Foreign Minister and her Armenian counterpart met in Lima on Monday to discuss the prospect of a free trade agreement between the two countries. Armenia will soon join the Russian-led Customs Union, which aims to become Eurasia’s economic union modeled after the EU by 2015.
Explaining ISDS
8-Jan-2014 FTA Watch
A five-minute video from FTA Watch (Thailand)
FIAN launches international action: TTIP and TPP void
8-Jan-2014 FIAN
FIAN International launched an action letter addressing the EU, USA and a number of countries negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) asking civil society networks, organizations and people interested in supporting the campaign to circulate, sign and send the letter to their local authorities
Japan, Turkey agree on trade, nuclear power tie-ups
8-Jan-2014 Hürriyet Daily News
Japan and Turkey agreed on Jan. 7 to begin talks on an economic partnership agreement, part of a drive to build closer ties as they also step up cooperation on nuclear technology.
The Guardian: Mexico would be better off without NAFTA
6-Jan-2014 Sexenio
In an extensive report on “20 years on from the Signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)”, the British newspaper, the Guardian, has claimed that Mexico could have maintained economic growth that it sustained between 1960 and 1980 without the need for an agreement.
Business groups back Obama on trade amid historic debate
6-Jan-2014 Bloomberg
Some of the largest US business groups are lining up behind President Barack Obama to pressure Congress to clear the way for a pair of trade deals that could set rules for more than half the world’s economy.
Ecuador-EU to negotiate trade agreement
6-Jan-2014 Prensa Latina
Ecuador and the European Union will hold their first round of negotiations on a Multipart Trade Agreement from January 13 to 17 in Brussels, announced an official source.
Mexico farmers warn of year of protests
5-Jan-2014 Press TV
Mexican peasant organizations have warned of a year of protests unless the federal government fulfills its promise to end the disastrous effects generated by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Zapatista uprising 20 years later: How Indigenous Mexicans stood up against NAFTA "death sentence"
5-Jan-2014 Democracy Now!
On the same day the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect on Jan. 1, 1994, the Zapatista National Liberation Army and people of Chiapas declared war on the Mexican government, saying that NAFTA meant death to indigenous peoples. To learn about the impact of the uprising 20 years later and the challenges they continue to face, DN! speak with Peter Rosset, professor of rural social movements in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico.
Philippines: Businessmen prepare for free trade accords
5-Jan-2014 Manila Standard
The largest group of businessmen in the Philippines is preparing for new trade agreements that will enable the country to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
How NAFTA helped the Mexican billionaires’ club
5-Jan-2014 NPR
When the North American Free Trade Agreement was being negotiated, supporters promised it would increase the income of Mexicans. Two decades later, it’s clear that Mexico’s ultrarich are among its big winners.
TPP, TTIP could alter US textile & apparel trade
5-Jan-2014 Fibre2fashion
From the view of the textiles and apparel industries, all eyes will be on whether a yarn-forward provision has been included or not in the final documents.
A Canadian court is allowing Ecuadorians to pursue their long-running pollution suit against Chevron
4-Jan-2014 Public Radio International
Last month, a judge ruled that the Ecuadorians can pursue their case against Chevron in Canada.
Tribunal pushes back Ecuador, Chevron hearing
4-Jan-2014 Wall St Journal
An international arbitration tribunal in The Hague hearing a claim from Chevron Corp. against Ecuador pushed back a scheduled hearing to Feb. 7 from Jan. 20 and called on both parties to meet in Washington on Jan. 20 instead.
NAFTA does not fulfil Mexican expectations
3-Jan-2014 Associated Press
Although NAFTA fundamentally changed the country in some ways, it did not meet expectations of putting Mexican wages on the same level as US wages, boosting employment, reducing poverty or protecting the environment.