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Canada to turn to bilateral agreements after WTO trade talks collapse
29-Jul-2008 Canadian Press
The federal government says it will aggressively go after bilateral trade deals with other countries after the collapse of nine days of talks on a comprehensive global trade agreement.
Hong Kong, China expand free-trade agreement
29-Jul-2008 Reuters
Hong Kong expanded a free-trade deal with mainland China on Tuesday in an agreement that includes giving mining and exploration companies and related services easier access to the Chinese market.
Militants press Senate to reject Jpepa - report
29-Jul-2008 GMANews
About 150 activists trooped to the Philippine Senate on Tuesday, calling on senators to reject the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement
’Doha Round talks undermining regional integration’
29-Jul-2008 Swazi Observer
The ongoing Doha round of World Trade Organisation talks is seen to be undermining regional integration and economic development efforts by African countries, analysts have noted.
Thailand urged to be a standards leader
29-Jul-2008 TMCnet
Thailand is being urged to upgrade itself as the leader in determining safety standards and relevant laws on food and agricultural products in order to surmount business challenges arising from free trade area agreements.
Joint Jordanian-Israeli delegation to discuss trade relations in the USA
29-Jul-2008
An official joint Jordanian-Israeli delegation met last week with representatives from the office of the United States Trade Representative, Department of State, Department of Commerce, as well as members of Congress and their staffs to promote the expansion and strengthening of the trilateral United States-Jordan-Israel trade relationship.
PM embraces reservations about EPA
29-Jul-2008
Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer indicated that there are still lingering questions over whether Caricom countries will all sign on to the European Union-Cariforum Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) next month, though he has maintained his personal support for the idea of moving forward with the agreement.
Foxley arrives in Australia to sign Free Trade Agreement
29-Jul-2008
Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley arrived in Sydney, Australia today, where he will attend various activities, which include the signing of a Free Trade Agreement with the nation.
States sign new pact to clear trade barriers
29-Jul-2008
The East African Community (EAC) has signed an agreement that will remove non tariff barriers and allow free movement of food and trade in the region.
FTA delay ’not an option’
29-Jul-2008
Businessmen on both sides are pushing the GCC and the European Union towards a free trade agreement - or the next best thing, according to Bahrain-based weekly business intelligence magazine The Gulf.
Caribbean urged to renegotiate EPA
28-Jul-2008
A former chief negotiator for the region said it is not too late for Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries to pull out of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe.
COMESA trade centre to open
28-Jul-2008
Access to the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) will ease after opening of a trade centre in Kampala. Comesatradehub, an international export promotion company, will enable companies market and sell their products internationally.
Free trade: A baby step to the south
28-Jul-2008
When Canada concluded free trade talks with Colombia in June, the announcement came in the form of a release on a Saturday. But burying news of the deal on a weekend hasn’t stopped a storm of protest. In Ottawa, the opposition blasted the government for reaching an FTA (whose ratification will likely take months) without waiting for an assessment report from the Commons trade committee, whose members recently travelled to Colombia - a country that has been plagued by drug trafficking, paramilitary death squads and other forms of strife.
Biwater fails in Tanzanian damages claim
28-Jul-2008
A British water company thrown out of Tanzania over a bungled privatisation deal has failed in its bid to win up to £10m in damages.
Stalling CEPA a sensible move
28-Jul-2008
It would have almost happened. President Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were slated to sign the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries sometime during the SAARC summit at the beginning of next month. Fortunately wiser counsel prevailed, if one might employ a rather weathered phrase.
EU hints at FTA talks even if WTO discussions fail
28-Jul-2008
European Union on Monday hinted at continuation of bilateral negotiations on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India even if the ongoing WTO negotiations at Geneva fails.
WTO decision in next 3 days may worsen FTAs’ effects on developing country farmers
28-Jul-2008 TWN
The special safeguard mechanism currently being proposed for agriculture at the WTO mini-ministerial requires large increases in imports before it can be used, does not allow tariffs to be raised sufficiently and cannot be used to protect developing country farmers from import surges due to free trade agreements.
La Via Campesina supports KPL, KWPA and the Korean people’s struggle
28-Jul-2008 Via Campesina
La Via Campesina supports the peaceful fight of the Korean Peasant League, Korean Women Peasants Association and the movements of the Korean people for their right to have access to safe food and to produce locally. FTAs undermine the freedom of choice and the access to safe food, which are basic elements of food sovereignty.
Sri Lanka develops cold feet on trade pact with India
28-Jul-2008 Live Mint
An India-Sri Lanka trade and investment agreement billed as a landmark is being delayed, ostensibly because the island nation’s President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, an avowed Sinhala nationalist, doesn’t want to be seen as authoring such a close partnership with New Delhi, diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
The Japan-Indonesia Economic Partnership: Agreement between equals?
27-Jul-2008 Japan Focus
The Japanese side is strongly selling the concept of capacity-building in Indonesia in key areas such as the auto parts industry. Despite such promises, it is difficult to envision how such nascent industries will compete with the now cheaper Japanese imports.