bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

All articles

Peru: Signing away too many rights?
25-Mar-2010 IPS
Peru is enthusiastically espousing free trade, and has signed six tariff-lowering agreements in the space of a year. But it has not matched them with the internal policies needed to reduce their impact on labour rights, the environment, and sensitive areas like agriculture, social organisations and experts say.
Natural Dairy buys four farms, eyes more in NZ plan
24-Mar-2010 Bloomberg
The deal shows “the gate on the New Zealand-China free trade agreement swings both ways,” a Federated Farmers official said. Natural Dairy, formerly China Jin Hui Mining Corporation, agreed to buy four farms in New Zealand and is in talks for 24 more as part of a NZ$1.5bn (US$1.1bn) expansion in the world’s biggest dairy exporter.
Open statement to EU Trade Commissioner on the EU-India FTA
24-Mar-2010
The Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+) is calling on the EU Trade Commissioner to come clean on the demands and pressures being placed by the European Union on the Government of India to accept TRIPS-plus measures that will have a severe, adverse impact on access to safe, effective and affordable medicines in India and across the developing world.
NZ rejects US senators’ claims on dairy trade
24-Mar-2010 AP
New Zealand on Monday hit back at a group of 30 U.S. senators who accused the country’s dairy industry of anticompetitive practices, as a first round of talks ended for a free trade agreement.
A prescription for failure: Health and intellectual property in the Dominican Republic.
23-Mar-2010 Georgetown Law
A group of nine Georgetown Law students have written a report, "Prescription for Failure: Health and Intellectual Property in the Dominican Republic," which finds that U.S. efforts to increase intellectual property protections in the Dominican Republic may lead to sharp increases in the cost of lifesaving drugs and, as a result, the declining health and even deaths of those who may be unable to afford them.
Hong Kong free trade agreement to be signed
23-Mar-2010
Trade Minister Tim Groser will sign a free trade agreement with Hong Kong when he visits there on Monday.
EU trade pact won’t hit Indian generic drug cos: Sharma
23-Mar-2010
Commerce minister Anand Sharma said on Monday that a proposed free-trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) would not hurt the generic drugs industry. The minister also said India would attract the same amount of foreign direct investment as last year.
Why bother with a US FTA?
23-Mar-2010 NZ Herald
Many New Zealanders simply don’t understand the brazenness and the power of the industry lobby groups in America to influence their government and get involved in foreign affairs.
TPP as backdoor Colombia FTA?
23-Mar-2010 Eyes on Trade
The possible entry of Colombia into the TPP illustrates the unprecedented nature of the TPP.
EU boosts Israel ties, ignores illegal settlements
23-Mar-2010 IPS
Diplomats representing the European Union have drawn up a new plan for strengthening their relations with Israel despite the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Taiwan seeks closer economic ties with ASEAN
23-Mar-2010 Jakarta Post
Taiwan is looking to negotiate a free-trade agreement with ASEAN as soon as it accomplishes its historic economic partnership with China, slated to be signed this June, say official and scholars.
GCC states may not resume EU FTA talks
23-Mar-2010 Gulf Times
GCC states may once again refuse to resume free trade agreement talks with the European Union due to “intransigence” on the European side, a senior official said.
Joint working party for Korea-Vietnam FTA to be launched
23-Mar-2010 Arirang
The governments of Korea and Vietnam plan to launch a joint committee to study the possibility of an FTA with the first meeting scheduled for early May in Seoul.
Japan sets up division targeting Korea FTA
23-Mar-2010 Joong Ang Daily
Japan appears to be speeding up steps to resume talks with Korea on an “economic partnership agreement,” the term Japan uses to describe a free trade agreement.
We’ve nothing to gain from US trade deal
23-Mar-2010 SMH
Why is the Rudd government entering into new free trade negotiations with the Obama administration? Australia has nothing to gain except a further erosion of our sovereignty and Barack Obama lacks authority from Congress to undertake a binding agreement.
EU and Central America begin new round of talks for Association Agreement, this time including Panama
23-Mar-2010 Tico Times
The EU approved last week a change in the mandate for its negotiators in order to include Panama in the discussions, following a formal request from that country, as well as an assent by Panama to accept all of the points already agreed upon in the negotiations by its Central American partners Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
New Zealand-US free trade pact hinges on ’inclusion of agriculture’: Prime Minister
23-Mar-2010 RTT
Prime Minister John Key said the NZ-US free trade agreement could not go ahead if the powerful US dairy lobby succeeded in excluding agriculture from the terms of the agreement.
Impatient EU pushes for progress on EPA trade deal
23-Mar-2010 IPS
The European Commission is increasing pressure on the East African Community to sign a free trade agreement despite the revenue losses it would incur for the East African states.
Memo to US: only fools rush in
22-Mar-2010 Guardian
If negotiators aren’t careful, a US-China investment treaty could prove as explosive as currency manipulation or climate change
Pakistan looks to British diplomatic help for EU free trade deal
22-Mar-2010 Telegraph
Pakistan is to appeal for free trade access to, and eventually a free trade agreement with, Europe during a landmark summit with EU leaders next month