bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Articles by language

English
Tagalog
Network calls for rejection of free trade agreement
18-Jan-2012 Fiji Times
Fiji Network for Positive People believes that the Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS meeting will be an opportune time to advocate for continuing availability of generic Anti Retro Viral treatment in the face of threats from Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
Trade minister: Egypt open to trade talks with US
18-Jan-2012 Reuters
Egypt’s trade minister on Tuesday courted badly needed US investment with a promise Cairo would maintain open markets, and said the Egyptian government was open to pursuing free trade talks with the United States.
FTA deal with Korea reaches critical phase
17-Jan-2012
Australian beef exports are in danger being put at long-term disadvantage against US competitors in the Korean market unless rapid progress can be made in Free Trade Agreement discussions in coming months.
Tony DiMare says— Tomato imports ‘sucking lifeblood’ of US industry
16-Jan-2012 Delta Farm Press
"Why do we need tomatoes from Guatemala? What are we trying to accomplish?" asks Florida grower Tony DiMare
Asean-EU officials, business rep meet in Siem Reap to discuss FTA challenges
16-Jan-2012 Bernama
Officials and business representatives from the 10 Asean Member States and the European Union came together today in Siem Reap, Cambodia, to discuss the challenges and opportunities of free trade agreements, as well as ways that Asean would benefit from free trade agreements.
India, EU FTA to take more time
16-Jan-2012 All India Radio
The Free Trade Agreement between India and European Union will take more time to materialise. European Union foreign policy Chief, Baroness Catherine Ashton informed this after holding meeting with External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna in Bangalore today.
China, GCC agree to accelerate FTA negotiations
15-Jan-2012
Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdullatif al-Zayani agreed on Sunday to speed up negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two sides.
Union says immigrants forced to accept pay below minimum wage
15-Jan-2012
Chinese chefs working here are being asked to accept pay cuts or face losing their jobs, because of hundreds of Chinese chefs entering the country under the free trade agreement with China.
U.S. auto council opposes Japan joining in TPP talks
15-Jan-2012
A council representing the Big 3 U.S. automakers has declared that it opposes Japan joining negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement at this time, saying Japan’s auto market is not receptive to imports.
Conglomerates poaching experienced trade negotiators
15-Jan-2012
Following former trade minister Kim Hyun-jong, another former diplomat who played a key role in negotiations over the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) has gone to work for Samsung. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) stated on Sunday that 45-year-old Kim Won-gyeong, an economic adviser at the Korean Embassy to the United States, had submitted his resignation ahead of the regular February reshuffle. Though it has been reported that Kim will go to work as a director for Samsung Electronics America, a Samsung Electronics official said that talks were still in progress and nothing had been confirmed.
EU team on a visit to B’lore
14-Jan-2012
Ahead of the India-EU Summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi in February this year, a high-level delegation from the European Union will pay a four-day official visit to India starting on January 15.
Indo-Lanka trade talks in March
14-Jan-2012
India and Sri Lanka are keen to resume talks on the Indo- Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in March, said Ministry of Trade and Commerce sources.
Obama’s agency revamp may diminish US Trade Representative
14-Jan-2012 Bloomberg
A proposal by President Barack Obama to reorganize US trade agencies would force together departments that have different missions, something industry groups say may diminish effectiveness.
Group calls for investment treaty with China
14-Jan-2012 China Daily
"We need to negotiate more bilateral investment treaties. … India and China should be high on that list," said Thomas Donohue, president and CEO of the US Chamber of Commerce
Boehner meets Colombian President to push FTA
14-Jan-2012 Colombia Reports
Speaker of the US House of Representatives John Boehner called on Colombia Wednesday to implement all measures necessary to secure the coming into force of a free trade agreement between Bogota and Washington. This includes guaranteeing specific labor rights and diminishing violence towards labor unions.
DPJ dissidents raise FTA concerns in Washington
14-Jan-2012 Japan Times
A group of visiting Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers opposed to Tokyo’s participation in free-trade talks led by the United States restated their fears in Washington on Wednesday that the deal could harm Japanese society.
EU-Malaysia FTA will be inked by year-end, says Piket
14-Jan-2012 Bernama
The European Union is optimistic that its free trade agreement with Malaysia will be inked by year-end, as per the timeline set by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, during his visit to Brussels, Belgium in 2010.
US, Pacific Islands hold next round of fishing negotiations
14-Jan-2012 FIS
The Pacific Islands Parties and the US are trying to reach a successor fish agreement following the US’s rejection of the Pacific’s proposal. Island nations are also seeking to solidify a regional strategy on fisheries for EPA negotiations with the European Union.
Investment terror
13-Jan-2012 DTE
Since the 1990s developing nations have been on a treaty spree, signing a vast number of bilateral and regional investment treaties to attract funds for development. But as the figure of investment treaties has shot up so have the claims for damages from investor companies, which are seeking billions of dollars in compensation on account of regulatory laws.
Investment developments in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement
12-Jan-2012 ITN
What are the likely implications of the TPPA for investment law? The draft investment chapter is largely completed. It generally follows the 2004 US model BIT, with a few significant square brackets, writes Jane Kelsey.