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Japan, Vietnam sign free trade pact
25-Dec-2008 AFP
Japan and Vietnam signed an economic partnership pact Thursday with a promise to cut tariffs on some 92 percent of goods and services traded between the two nations within a decade.
Forget Mercosur, sign trade accord with EU says Brazil industry
25-Dec-2008 MercoPress
A leading number of Brazilian businessmen belonging to the country’s powerful National Confederation of Industry, CNI, said it was time to sign a bilateral agreement with the European Union, which would leave out Mercosur
Quebec supporting apartheid?
24-Dec-2008 South Lebanon
Quebec inked an economic partnership agreement with Israel this fall in Jerusalem. Attracting little attention from major media outlets, Quebec’s bilateral accord was signed during a government-led delegation to Israel that included high-level state officials and corporate representatives this past September, amidst Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza.
Probe foreign poachers, DFA asked
24-Dec-2008 INQ
The Filipino fisherfolk group Pamalakaya is urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to investigate the reported entry of foreign fishing vessels allegedly feasting on rich tuna grounds in portions of the Philippine Sea. The fishing vessels are reportedly owned by Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese companies, and Japan has recently access to Philippine waters under JPEPA.
Argentina takes the offensive as Siemens pleads guilty to corruption charges
24-Dec-2008 ITN
Argentina has refused calls by Siemens to suspend proceedings at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in which a committee is considering Argentina’s request to revise a 2007 award, following the admission by the German firm that it had bribed Argentinean officials.
Glitch in the system: Ecuador’s conscientious default
24-Dec-2008
When the government of Ecuador failed to make a scheduled interest payment on private bonds this month, it was hardly the first time a country had defaulted in the middle of a financial crisis.
Kenya, India strengthen bilateral trade
24-Dec-2008 African Manager
Kenya last week signed a new bilateral agreement with India, geared towards advancing trade, investment and technical cooperation.
GCC suspends FTA talks with EU
24-Dec-2008 Khaleej Times
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Tuesday said it had suspended talks with the European Union for a free trade agreement (FTA). The decision to halt more than two decades of hard negotiations between the two regional economic blocs to sign the world’s first region-to-region free trade agreement came a week ahead of a crucial summit by GCC leaders in Muscat.
Europe: ’Double standards on trade’
23-Dec-2008 IPS
Double standards are being applied in the way that the European Union awards trade preferences to poor countries, an African exporters grouping has alleged.
SA welcomes landmark European trade offer
22-Dec-2008 Business Day
The European Commission has made a major concession in trade talks with the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu), offering a deal that should avert the break-up of the customs union. It proposed a tariff deal that would align the bloc’s controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the bilateral trade agreement under which SA trades with the EU. If accepted, the offer would essentially allow Sacu to maintain its common external tariff and keep the customs union intact.
New rules will allow small RP banana farmers to sell to Japan
22-Dec-2008 GMA News
A final protocol for the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) allowing small farmers to sell bananas to Japan has been submitted and is up for comment, said a Bureau of Plant Industry official.
Canadian company threatens El Salvador with CAFTA lawsuit over mining project
22-Dec-2008 Upside Down World
A Canadian mining company intends to sue El Salvador’s government for several hundred million dollars if it is not granted permission to open a widely unpopular gold and silver mine that scientists warn would have devastating effects on local water supplies.
GCC may have more FTAs in near future
22-Dec-2008 Zawya
The GCC-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed last week comes almost a year after the six gulf nations announced a common market to remove trade barriers within themselves and to deal with the world as one entity. Economists predict that the agreement will serve as a precursor to more FTAs between Gulf and prominent Asian economies.
EPA: a contract to destroy the Senegalese’ flimsy economy
22-Dec-2008 PressAfrik
The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is a danger to the fishing sector and the food safety in West Africa and particularly in Senegal.
ASEAN FTA by March first week: Jairam Ramesh
21-Dec-2008 Indopia
The Free Trade Agreement between India and ASEAN will be signed in the first week of March 2009. It will lead to tough competition from Vietnam, whose productivity in tea, coffee and pepper is much higher than India’s.
Australia-Korea free trade agreement preparatory talks conclude
21-Dec-2008 The Hon Simon Crean MP
Australia and Korea have concluded preparatory talks on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
Korean, EU trade ministers to meet in January
21-Dec-2008 KBS
South Korea and the EU hope to finalise their FTA in January
Japan to help Vietnam strengthen car, electronic parts industries
21-Dec-2008 Vietnam Business News
According to JETRO, Japan will boost support to Vietnam next year, once the two governments sign an FTA, for the benefit of both Vietnamese and Japanese corporations
EU to continue FTA talks with Peru, Colombia
20-Dec-2008 Xinhua
The European Union said Friday that it had decided to pursue a Free Trade Agreement deal with Peru and Colombia despite reservations from Bolivia and Ecuador.
Vietnam, US holds first BIT negotiation
19-Dec-2008 VNA
The first round of negotiations on the Vietnam-US Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) was held in Washington from Dec. 15-18.