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S. Korea, EU to hold ministerial meeting over free trade deal
15-Mar-2010 Yonhap
Trade ministers from South Korea and the European Union will meet in Brussels on Monday to assess the progress of the final steps toward a bilateral free trade agreement
Indo-Lanka FTA is 10 years old
15-Mar-2010
The Free Trade Agreement between India and Sri Lanka is 10 years old and a top trade economist says trade between the two South Asian neighbours have improved and that Sri Lanka should consider upgrading the agreement into a comprehensive economic partnership.
Fourth Round of Korea-Australia FTA Kicks off in Seoul
15-Mar-2010
A fourth round of free trade negotiations between Korea and Australia is scheduled to open in Seoul, Monday.
Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks a milestone: Crean
15-Mar-2010
The first step to an Asia-Pacific-wide trade pact will be taken on Monday, with officials from eight nations meeting in Melbourne.
Presidential office defends ECFA plan
14-Mar-2010
The Presidential Office yesterday hit back at critics — including former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) — who said on Saturday that an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) the government is seeking to sign with Beijing this year will undermine Taiwan’s competitiveness.
’New generation’ free-trade deal talks start today
14-Mar-2010
Talks begin in Melbourne today to lift what began as a 2001 pact between New Zealand and Singapore to a powerful "new generation" regional free trade deal that the United States has made a top trade priority.
Pacific North American Regional Integration and Control
12-Mar-2010 BeYourOwnLeader
U.S.-Canadian state and provincial integration is being achieved in areas of transportation, the economy, energy and the environment. With some national, trilateral and global initiatives being discredited, stalled or ineffective, it appears as if the strategy has further shifted to a regional and local level in an effort to lay the groundwork for new agreements.
Philippines, EU begin free-trade talks
12-Mar-2010 Manila Times
The Philippines has begun talks with the European Union for a bilateral trade agreement, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.
Malaysia studying new regional trade pact with US
12-Mar-2010 Channel News Asia
Malaysia said Thursday that negotiations towards a bilateral trade pact with the United States have been shelved and it is now considering joining a regional deal promoted by the US.
India rejects EU demand on social clauses in trade pact
12-Mar-2010 Hindu Businessline
India has rejected the European Union’s demand on including social clauses such as labour and environmental standards in the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), saying there are other forums to discuss these issues.
45 Colombian union leaders assassinated in 2009
12-Mar-2010 CUPE
Amid new reports of human rights abuses in Colombia involving the assassination of union leaders, Canada’s largest labour organization says it is appalled the Harper government will try to fast-track approval of a free trade deal with that country.
Chevron wins bid for Ecuador arbitration
12-Mar-2010 SF Chronicle
Steven Donziger, an attorney who represents the Ecuadorans suing Chevron, complained that the lawsuit’s plaintiffs won’t be able to participate in the arbitration proceeding, which will only involve Chevron and the Ecuadoran government. The plaintiffs, he said, will push forward with their lawsuit, regardless.
US judge rules for Chevron in Ecuador case
12-Mar-2010 Reuters
Chevron Corp may pursue an international arbitration claim over environmental pollution allegations in Ecuador, a judge ruled on Thursday, part of a long-running case that carries a potential $27 billion liability for the second-largest US oil company.
Rights groups slam EU free trade deal with Colombia
12-Mar-2010 Deutsche Welle
The European Union is close to reaching a free trade deal with Colombia. But human rights watchdogs, trade union organizations and some politicians believe the agreement would send all the wrong signals to Bogota.
CP urges firms to tap low tariffs under trade pacts
12-Mar-2010 Bangkok Post
Thai entrepreneurs need to make the best use of tariff cuts under free trade agreements, says Charoen Pokphand Group, Thailand’s leading agricultural conglomerate.
No free trade agreement with Indonesia for now
12-Mar-2010 LiveMint
A proposed bilateral trade agreement between India and Indonesia has been put in cold storage as the Southeast Asian nation expressed its inability to resolve domestic opposition to such a pact. A joint study group set up by the two countries had strongly favoured a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement.
Delhi Network of Positive People: Indian government trading away our lives
11-Mar-2010
Delhi Network of Positive People protest the EU-India and all FTAs to MPs in India
Uruguay: Philip Morris files first-known investment treaty claim against tobacco regulations
11-Mar-2010 Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
The move is certain to be closely watched by international lawyers and policymakers alike, as it will serve as an early test-case of the little-used intellectual property protections contained in BITs.
Avatar downfall a blow for indigenous communities
10-Mar-2010 IPS
In 2009, Chevron’s lobby against the renewal of preferential tariffs for Ecuador was "one of the strongest and fiercest that Ecuadorean foreign policy has ever faced."
Trade pact with the US ’depends on Thailand’
10-Mar-2010 Bangkok Post
"There is no question that President Obama’s efforts to at least start talking to a few countries in Asia about a free trade agreement are the right step. Whether Thailand is ready to engage with the US in a free trade discussion is really a question for the Thais themselves," says the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand.