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India-EU trade agreement likely only by year-end
European Union ambassador to India Daniele Smadja on Friday said ongoing negotiations for the India-EU broad-based trade and investment agreement may not be concluded by April.
Trade agreement between the European Union and Pacific countries
The agreement provides for the elimination of tariffs and more flexible rules of origin for various food products from Fiji and PNG, such as fish. But the European Parliament has asked the Commission to suspend the exceptions to the rules of origin if this year proves to have "a disruptive impact" on European industry.
US claims victory over Canada in lumber dispute
The United States claimed victory against Canada Friday in a trade dispute over Ottawa’s alleged subsidies for lumber exports to the United States.
US eyes transpacific trade deal by November APEC
The United States wants to "substantially complete" negotiations on a free trade agreement with eight other countries in the Asia Pacific region by the time President Barack Obama hosts a regional summit in November, the top US trade official said on Friday.
Colombian labor leader seeks trade pact delay
Congress should delay the proposed US-Colombia "free trade" agreement until a key Colombian law that leads to workers’ oppression changes and law enforcement there improves, a top Colombian union leader says.
If US doesn’t sign FTA, Colombia is not going to cry: Garzon
Colombian Vice President Angelino Garzon said Thursday that if the US congress decides not to ratify a free trade agreement with Colombia, the country’s government will not "sit down and cry."
US-South Korea FTA: an attack on workers in both countries
On both sides of the Pacific, unions are raising their voices against this rotten deal. The AFL-CIO has come out against it, along with the Steelworkers, Machinists, Communication workers, United Electrical workers and International Longshore Workers while the KMWU, the KCTU and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions remain steadfastly opposed
UK government’s consultation on new trade policy: Evidence from The Corner House
In early 2011, the UK government plans to announce a new trade and investment policy for the next five years. To inform this policy, it gathered perspectives at the end of 2010, on “UK trade and investment performance and potential, the role of government on trade issues, the impact of global developments, both economic and otherwise, and the course of UK trade policy.”
Keidanren lobbies Kaieda for TPP
The head of Japan’s largest business organization on Thursday urged Banri Kaieda to show leadership in moving the government toward negotiations on a Pacific free-trade agreement as the two met for the first time since Kaieda became trade minister.
Korea, India agree on upgrading their free trade pact
South Korea and India agreed Thursday to improve their free trade pact that went into effect early last year in a bid to further boost bilateral trade.
Fiji and Papua New Guinea: green light for economic agreement
MEPs on Wednesday gave their green light for the Council to conclude an Interim Economic Partnership Agreement with Papua New Guinea and Fiji, two countries of the Pacific Region with significant exports to the EU.
FMD ― a manmade disaster
Free trade agreements aggravate the animal pandemic further by preventing one country from rooting it out fundamentally because of mandatory import and consumption of foreign meat products.
Japan, Ukraine eye investment, technology sharing in agriculture
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych have agreed to launch negotiations on a bilateral investment treaty
ANCA welcomes AmCham call for new US-Armenia trade agreement
The American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia’s public call for a US-Armenia Trade and Investment Agreement was welcomed on Jan. 18 by the Armenian National Committee of America as a meaningful step toward putting in place a much-needed bilateral accord aimed at creating new export-driven jobs and economic growth in the US and Armenia.
Kan wants EU free-trade talks to start this year
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Wednesday he hopes to launch negotiations this year on a free-trade agreement with the European Union.
Canada-EU talks facing delays
Even as Canadian and European Union negotiators sit down this week for the sixth round of free trade talks, a series of sensitive issues—both political and technical—are causing delays.
TPPA: Challenges for Australian health and medicine policies
Of particular concern is that proposed TPPA multilateral investor–state dispute settlement procedures would allow US corporations (as well as those of other TPPA nations) to obtain damages against Australian governments through international arbitral proceedings if their investments are impeded by Australian public health and environment protection legislation.
Venezuela and Ecuador consolidate bilateral agreements, SUCRE currency system
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro met on Monday with the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, Ricardo Patiño, to evaluate the progress of their country’s bilateral agreements. Among the ambitious goals set during the meeting was an increase in the use of the sucre, a regional currency being used in trade between the two countries.
US, South Korea officials to continue work on final text of trade deal
The planned amendments mostly involve provisions sought by the US to improve access for auto exports, in return for some concessions on the phasing of tariffs on US pork.
Chinese firm launches 1.5-billion-dollar mall in Bangkok
’The purpose of the project is to respond to the vigorous growth of the ASEAN-China free trade area,’ said Dong Hongqi, president of the Ashima Yunnan Cultural Industry Group, a Yunnan-based state enterprise, brushing off criticism that the complex was designed to promote cheap Chinese goods on the Thai market to the detriment of local producers.