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TTIP: UK government not trusted to protect NHS from American investors
29-Aug-2014 IBTimes
Despite government claims that public services will be protected from the EU’s free trade agreement with the US, 42% of British people don’t trust them to protect the NHS from privatisation.
CETA leak: Crucial questions unanswered
29-Aug-2014 The Tyee
Latest version of trade deal leaves too much up to non-existent commission, lawyers say.
Trade treaties expose Australia to costly litigation, experts warn
29-Aug-2014 WA Today
Australia risks getting swept up in a wave of litigation by foreign corporations wishing to sue over unfavourable domestic laws, experts warn, after the government rejected a bill to ban controversial trade agreements.
Inquiry rejects ban on ISDS clauses in free trade agreements
29-Aug-2014 Computer World
A Senate inquiry has recommended against passing a bill that would bar Australia from entering into trade agreements that include so-called ’investor-state dispute settlement’ clauses.
Egypt eyes further economic ties with Brazil
29-Aug-2014 ESIS
Industry and Trade Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour said the Egyptian government is keen to activate the Egypt-Mercosur free trade agreement that Egypt has signed in 2010 with the Southern Common Market economic bloc.
Guatemala: People reject "Monsanto Law" for threatening food security
29-Aug-2014 Servindi
Guatemalan civil society has strongly rejected the country’s new plant breeders’ rights law imposed through the free trade agreement with the US (CAFTA).
European lawmakers threaten to scupper Canada trade deal
28-Aug-2014 Reuters
EU lawmakers are threatening to block a multibillion-dollar trade pact between Canada and the European Union – a blueprint for a much bigger EU-US deal – because it would allow firms to sue governments if they breach the treaty.
Newmont withdraws mining arbitration case against Indonesia
28-Aug-2014 Reuters
Newmont Mining Corp has withdrawn an international arbitration filing against the Indonesian government, government and company officials said on Tuesday, indicating a possible breakthrough in a seven-month dispute that halted exports.
TTIP will sacrifice food safety for faster trade, warn NGOs
28-Aug-2014 EurActiv
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will irreversibly put EU consumers and animals at risk, the European Commission will be warned today (28 August).
TTIP and the Scottish referendum
28-Aug-2014 WDM
Whatever the outcome of the independence referendum on 18 September, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership could force Scotland to adopt a system that allows US multinationals to provide public services.
EU agrees rules to manage investor-state disputes
28-Aug-2014 European Commission
The European Union today took an important step towards creating a comprehensive EU investment policy, with the publication of a Regulation setting out a new set of rules to manage disputes under the EU’s investment agreements with its trading partners.
The “anti-ISDS bill” before the Australian Senate
28-Aug-2014 Kluwer Arbitration Blog
Indonesia is not the only Asia-Pacific nation that is reassessing investment treaties containing provisions on Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS, especially arbitration).
Indonesia 1, Newmont 0
28-Aug-2014 Jakarta Globe
US firm Newmont Mining has withdrawn its arbitration claim against Indonesia
Médecins Sans Frontières warns about IP inclusion in Asian FTA
27-Aug-2014 IPWatch
The inclusion of intellectual property in the ongoing negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership between 16 countries, most of them Asian, is raising concerns about “TRIPS-plus” measures that could jeopardise generic drugs production in India, according to Médecins Sans Frontières.
Why the US struggles against Japan in TPP negotiations
27-Aug-2014 Asia Forum
Historically, outside pressure (gaiatsu) from the United States has been effective in prising open Japanese markets in both bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations. Why is it not working now?
EU gives up on TTIP for US reinsurance reform
27-Aug-2014 EurActiv
Negotiators pushing for better US market access for EU reinsurers have abandoned talks over the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), recognising the trade deal is unlikely to remove rules forcing the industry to post as much as 100% collateral against their American liabilities.
Singapore signs investment treaties with Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast
27-Aug-2014 Channel News Asia
Both Bilateral Investment Treaties aim to protect investors’ interests from the countries involved, and open up more business and investment opportunities.
S&D Group president Gianni Pittella: "We oppose ISDS mechanism in EU-Canada trade deal"
27-Aug-2014 S&D Group in the EP
The Socialist & Democrat Group in the European Parliament has always opposed the inclusion of the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism in CETA, says their president G. Pitella, and it will be up to the Parliament to decide whether or not to ratify the agreement.
China, ASEAN to negotiate on FTA upgrade
27-Aug-2014 Xinhua
China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed Tuesday to negotiate on upgrading a free trade area (FTA) to ensure that it remained dynamic and commercially relevant.
Signing of India-ASEAN FTA likely via circulation process soon
27-Aug-2014 Economic Times
India, which did not attend the ASEAN ministers meeting this week, will propose a circulation process for signing the India-ASEAN trade pact in services and investments.