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EU urges southern Africa to open up its markets
6-May-2013 DW
The European Parliament is now applying more pressure and has announced that if Cameroon and other sub-Saharan African countries do not sign by early 2014 that they will allow the EU free access to their markets, they will lose all trade benefits.
Traders protest against govt policies on FDI, FTA
6-May-2013 Business Standard
Traders and several union leaders from different states of India today participated in a rally to protest against the government’s initiatives like opening up retail sector for foreign investors and proposed India-EU FTA.
Oppn wants FTA with EU to be discussed in parliament
3-May-2013
The main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party and Left parties joined hands to demand that union government should discuss the crucial free trade agreement with European Union before a final decision is taken by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
The looming Canada-CARICOM free trade agreement
3-May-2013 NACLA
On April 23, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago visited Canada to deliver her pitch to make the Canada-CARICOM free trade agreement a reality.
After Japan TPP entry, USTR asks for economic impact study
3-May-2013 Law 360
The US trade representative asked the US International Trade Commission on Tuesday to investigate the likely economic effects of allowing duty-free imports of products from Japan, which just recently joined the ongoing talks for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
India, European Union may skirt thorny Issues, ink FTA
3-May-2013 Economic Times
India and the European Union could consider the option of signing a bilateral trade deal without the contentious issues when their chief negotiator meet on May 15, a senior commerce department official told ET.
Vietnam and FTA negotiations: NGOs urge the EU to carry out a human rights impact assessment
2-May-2013 FIDH
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation, the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR), would like to ask the European Union to conduct an impact assessment that adequately encompasses the human rights situation before continuing the negotiations of the Free Trade Agreement launched in March 2013 with Vietnam.
EUWEP calls for fair trade, not free trade
30-Apr-2013 Farmers Weekly
EU egg producers have lobbied MEPs for fair trade, not free trade, highlighting that the egg industry would be disadvantaged if it isn’t given special protected status in any future trade agreements.
Colombia to resume peace talks with the FARC amidst US and Colombian military "saber-rattling"
30-Apr-2013 Nacla
US support for the peace process would imply important changes in its policy toward the militarization of Colombia, its failed war on drugs, and a revision of its Free Trade Agreements that would allow the small peasants and subsistence economy to survive.
China investment deal raises red flags in Canada
30-Apr-2013 DW
After a vote to block it failed this week, Canada’s controversial investment treaty with China could be ratified any day now. The government says it protects Canadian investments in China. Critics call it a sell-out.
Political corruption and the ’free trade’ racket
30-Apr-2013 Al Jazeera
The US-EU free trade pact and TPP are about securing regulatory gains for major corporate interests, writes Dean Baker.
NZ minister slams TPP exceptions for Japan
26-Apr-2013 Japan Times
“We will not handle these sensitivities in agriculture, autos or whatever, by exclusions from trade liberalization,” NZ trade negotiator Tim Groser told the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.
Thailand not involved in TPP talks
26-Apr-2013 Bangkok Post
A misleading web page promoting the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade negotiations indicates that Thailand is participating, when in fact Bangkok is staying away from the TPP at this point.
Five reasons Canada should NOT ratify a Canada-EU free trade agreement
26-Apr-2013 Troy Media
There are many reasons why Prime Minister Stephen Harper should walk away from the CETA negotiations. Most relate to the ways that CETA is not about trade at all but about making dubious policy reforms that constrain our economic, social and environmental policy options in the future.
US could waive duties on imports from Burma
26-Apr-2013 Reuters
The United States is reviewing trade relations with Burma in a move that could end import duties on thousands of goods from the Southeast Asian country
Bangladesh keen to sign a “Free Trade Agreement” with Sri Lanka
26-Apr-2013 News 360
Bangladesh says it is ready to start discussions with Sri Lanka to strike a Free Trade Agreement between the two nations to improve two way trade, announced the Island’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
US trade talks should not cover culture, EU says
26-Apr-2013 Reuters
European Union lawmakers have backed French demands to exempt culture from a proposed free-trade pact between Europe and the United States, keeping Paris on side and raising the chances that the talks can start on time.
Thailand: Four sensitive issues studied ahead of FTA talks with EU
26-Apr-2013 The Nation
The sensitive issues for Thailand are: the impact of the EU’s plan to end Thailand’s eligibility for the Generalised System of Preferences next year; intellectual-property rights; tariff reductions on alcoholic beverages and cigarettes; and dispute-settlement mechanisms between government and private enterprises.
Investors’ IP rights unbound: The danger of investment clauses to access to medicines
25-Apr-2013 Infojustice
Although access to medicines activists have been wise to focus our attention intently on convincing low- and middle-income countries to adopt and use all possible TRIPS-compliant flexibilities and to oppose the TRIPS-plus IP chapters in free trade agreements, we have neglected to interrogate another chapter in free trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties that perhaps pose an even greater threat to our collective access to medicines – investment chapters.
Date set for talks on Asia-Pacific free trade zone
25-Apr-2013 DW
China and 15 other Asia-Pacific nations have agreed to launch a first round of talks next month aimed at creating one of the world’s largest trading blocs. China is trying to outpace a similar effort by the US.