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Belarus, Syria to prepare free trade agreement
3-Oct-2008 National Legal Internet Portal
Belarus and Syria will start preparing a free trade agreement, Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov told reporters after the talks with Foreign Minister of the Syrian Arab Republic Walid al Muallem on October 2 in Minsk.
Gov’t. to submit FTA bill to National Assembly next week
2-Oct-2008 Chosun Ilbo
The Korean government is planning to ask for National Assembly approval of the Korea-US free trade agreement next week.
EU adds Zambia to list of new trade deals
2-Oct-2008 Reuters
The European Commission has struck a trade deal with Zambia that will give the southern African country full access to European Union markets, the EU executive said on Wednesday.
Costa Rica given more time to ratify free trade deal
2-Oct-2008 Inside Costa Rica
October 1 was the deadline for Costa Rica to ratify and join the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA). However, Costa Rica now has until January 1, 2009, to ratify the trade deal.
Msia-US FTA: ‘We’re open to non-binding talks’
2-Oct-2008 The Star
Malaysia has moved one step forward in the US-Malaysia free trade agreement (FTA) talks, specifically on the issue of government procurement.
Haitian social organizations welcome the refusal of Haiti to sign the EPA
1-Oct-2008 AlterPresse
It is imperative to continue with the mobilization so that Haiti remains part of the growing group which rejects the pressure being applied by the European Union for CARIFORUM members to sign the EPA at the next meeting, scheduled for 15 October in Barbados.
Impact study of FTAs on industry
30-Sep-2008
The Centre will soon study the impact of the 30 free trade agreements (FTA), which India has with different countries and regions, on the consumers as well as India Inc. These FTAs are either concluded or under negotiation or in the proposal stage.
JPEPA notes exchange between RP, Japan not enough - group
30-Sep-2008 JPEPA notes exchange between RP, Japan not enough - group
The multi-sectoral group Fair Trade Alliance (FTA) said the exchange of notes between the Japanese and Philippine governments is not enough to cure the anti-Constitutional provisions of the Japan Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
House votes to extend trade benefit programs
30-Sep-2008 Reuters
The US House of Representatives voted unanimously on Monday to approve a one-year extension of trade benefits for Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia that expire at the end of the year.
Farmers and civil society groups march against EPAs
30-Sep-2008 Ghana Web
Hundreds of Ghanaian farmers and civil society groups took to the street on Monday calling on the leadership of the Africa Caribbean and Pacific countries to reject outright the Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union.
Don’t use trade for resolving non-trade issues: Kamal Nath
29-Sep-2008 Economic Times
"Increasingly we hear about proposals in the EU for levy of carbon tax on imports into EU, ban on imports on allegations of labour law violations and use of child labour etc. Any effort to combine trade with other social issues would prove to be disastrous for bilateral trade" says India’s commerce minister about the EU-India FTA.
India seeks ADB funding to help FTA-hit firms
29-Sep-2008 Financial Express
India has asked the Asian Development Bank to contribute to a fund to help compensate industries in the country, such as pepper growers in Kerala, that are adversely hit by the market-opening free trade agreements with several Asian countries.
Economic pact not good for us - farmers tell ACP delegates
29-Sep-2008 Graphic Ghana
Peasant farmers and some civil society groups in Ghana have called on African Ministers and negotiators to reject the Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union.
India to sign ASEAN trade deal mid-Dec - minister
29-Sep-2008 Reuters
India will sign a free trade deal with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as expected in December after around four years of talks, an Indian minister said on Monday.
India trade unions, people’s movement and civil society groups call for immediate halt to EU-India FTA negotiations
29-Sep-2008 CEC
As the two day (29-30 September, 2008) EU-India summit begins at Marseilles in France, civil society groups from across India demand a complete halt of the ongoing EU-India FTA negotiations.
Trade deal poses grave risks for India’s workers and poor
29-Sep-2008 Traidcraft
A proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the EU poses a real threat to millions of small businesses, workers and farmers, according to a report published today by Traidcraft.
Japan agrees on concluding FTAs with Vietnam, Switzerland
29-Sep-2008 TMC
Japan has struck separate basic deals with Vietnam and Switzerland to conclude bilateral free trade agreements after more than one year of negotiations, government officials said Monday.
SA, India in preferential trade talks
29-Sep-2008 Business Day
South Africa has started talks on a preferential trade agreement with India. The trade and industry department last week gazetted the launch of the trade talks for November, urging industry to make inputs in the compilation of the list of goods of export interest to SA.
Who wins if we get a free trade with the US?
29-Sep-2008 Scoop
As New Zealanders have learned from the China FTA, we would be foolish to listen uncritically to the promises already being made for a trade deal with the US. The US drives a hard bargain.
Businesses say Sri Lanka cannot implement CEPA with India
28-Sep-2008 Sunday Times
Inadequate regulatory and monitoring measures, say local businesses, allowed corruption into the Indo-Lanka FTA implementation and allowed unscrupulous investors to violate local laws and benefit from the FTA.