14-May-2009
Huffington Post
Despite the claims of the Colombian government and those in the U.S., Canada and the EU eager to consummate "free trade" pacts with that regime, the human rights situation in that country is deteriorating fast. Indeed, by key measures — the killing of unionists, extra-judicial killings by the military, and the forced displacement of civilians — Colombia’s human rights situation is amongst the worst in the world and getting worse. In the case of union killings, it remains the very worst.
12-May-2009
Solomon Times
In the Pacific region, only Papua New Guinea and Fiji initialled an Interim EPA mainly to protect their exports of fish and sugar, respectively, into the EU markets.
12-May-2009
Economic Times
Chile which favours free trade agreements with as many countries as possible to boost its overall trade volume, does not see any problem if a similar kind of trade agreement is signed with India.
11-May-2009
Prism Webcast News
As the Peruvian government declared a state of emergency in the face of one month long indigenous protests, 42 indigenous leaders have entered the Peruvian Congress to announce a hunger strike until the issue of a repeal of decrees affecting the territorial rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon is debated by the full legislature. The decrees, which were passed to facilitate the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, facilitate the transfer of Amazon land and resource rights to oil, mining, logging and agricultural companies to the detriment of indigenous and campesino inhabitants. They also set the stage for the privatization of water resources.
11-May-2009
Excess Copyright
The Canada/EU FTA negotation process is underway. From an intellectual property standpoint, there are many clear opportunities and pitfalls for Canadian interests depending on point of view.