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EU-CAN negotiations: Biodiversity in the crosshairs
16-Jul-2008 Radio Mundo Real
Bolivia’s position on intellectual property rights, on the one hand, and biodiversity, on the other, had earlier put a damper on Colombia and Peru’s drive to sign a trade deal with the US and is now affecting that to reach one with "the 27".
Palestine in the Middle East: Opposing neoliberalism and US power
16-Jul-2008 The Bullet
It is not merely the depth of suffering or length of exile that makes the Palestinian struggle an imperative of international solidarity in the current period. It is also the central location of the struggle within the broader context of global resistance to imperialism and neoliberalism. At the heart of this regional framework is the intrinsic relationship between the development of neoliberal capitalism in the Middle East and normalization of relations with Israel. All of the efforts of the US and their client regimes in the region are aimed at promoting these.
M’sia-US FTA - stop negotiations immediately
16-Jul-2008 Malaysiakini
We are shocked and disappointed to find that the government is persisting with the Malaysia- US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations despite all the protests and the fact that the US government is in transition. The latest round begins on Monday, July 14 in Washington, DC.
SC affirms ‘executive privilege’ on JPEPA negotiations
16-Jul-2008 PDI
The Philippine Supreme Court has upheld the “executive privilege” invoked by the government in refusing to accede to a request by several lawmakers, and partylist and militant groups for a full disclosure of its negotiations with Japan involving the controversial trade agreement.
BANGO petitioning for better EPA deal
16-Jul-2008 The Nation
The Barbados Association of NGOs (BANGO) is seeking 5 000 signatures for a petition calling on Government to work out a better Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe.
Taiwan-Honduras free trade pact goes into effect
16-Jul-2008 Monsters and Critics
Taiwan’s free trade agreement (FTA) with Honduras has gone into effect, further expanding trade ties between Taipei and Tegucigalpa, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
ALBA, Petrocaribe and Caricom: Issues in a new dynamic
16-Jul-2008 Norman Girvan
The growth of relations between several Caricom states and the Venezuelan-promoted ALBA and Petrocaribe initiatives is one of the most significant recent developments in regional affairs. An immediate issue that has arisen is whether membership of ALBA might conflict with the obligations of membership of Caricom itself. There are also larger issues of a strategic nature for Caricom.
The EPA: A critical evaluation
16-Jul-2008 Norman Girvan
Analyses the Cariforum-EC EPA from a critical standpoint, including the EPA architecture, what each side gets from the Agreement, the scope of binding commitments, the institutional machinery and the scope for revision of the Agreement. The points are illustrated with direct quotations from the EPA text.
The anti-development dimension of the European Community’s EPA for the Caribbean
16-Jul-2008 Norman Girvan
The ACP countries, by opening up their markets freely to European goods, services and companies will be transformed into a state of development via an impressive chain of unproven, theoretical assumptions. The EPA itself is replete with development rhetoric and references to the development objectives of the Agreement, most, if not all, of which are compromised by the content of the Agreement itself. Nowhere in the Agreement is there a direct, targeted attack on the basic supply-side problem, let alone binding commitments to put in place a complement of measures aimed at this problem.
S. Korean activists petition UN over beef protest clampdown
15-Jul-2008 Korea Times
South Korean activists Monday sent a petition to the United Nations, asking the international organization to admonish their government for its hardline crackdown on street protests over US beef imports.
Peru: Social rebellion spreads nationwide
15-Jul-2008 IPS
New street protests were called for Thursday in some Amazon regions, in response to decrees issued by President Alan García, making it easier for private investors to enter the territories of native communities. The decrees were set in motion thanks to the powers granted by the legislative branch to the executive under the free trade agreement (FTA) signed with the United States. Political analysts say the government has exceeded its legal powers.
Botswana, UK want fruits of EPAs
15-Jul-2008 Mmegi Mobile
While government officials promise the EPAs will bring more jobs and beef market openings for Botswana, Botswana unions believe they are nothing but recolonisation of ACP countries and say ’the EU is coming back to deplete our (African) resources’.
Trade pacts stifle exports to Thailand, Singapore
15-Jul-2008 BS
Growth of exports to Thailand and Singapore has slowed after India signed bilateral duty-free agreements with these countries. But a similar pact with Sri Lanka has improved the growth in India’s exports to the island nation.
Peru-China free trade teams advised not to rush negotiations
15-Jul-2008 LIP
The Lima Chamber of Commerce suggested today that Peru and China’s negotiating teams should not speed up the signing of a Free Trade Agreement in November as the requests of both countries have not coincided
VAT and trade pacts clash
14-Jul-2008 Emirates Business 24/7
Imposing a value added tax (VAT) on GCC and Arab products in the UAE would be against the agreements signed by the country with other Gulf and Arab states, according to the Ministry of Economy.
Truck drivers strike at Panama/Costa Rica border
14-Jul-2008 Inside Costa Rica
The first major disruption of the nine-month-old Costa Rican-Panamanian free trade agreement came on July 6, when approximately 200 truck drivers from Panama, Costa Rica, and other Central American countries paralyzed cargo crossing from Paso Canoas, Panama to Cerro Punta, Costa Rica.
EU says early partnership pact possible with Syria
14-Jul-2008 Reuters
The European Union could sign a long-stalled partnership pact with Syria this year, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Sunday at the Paris launch of a new "Union for the Mediterranean"
Saga of deal with Europe
14-Jul-2008 Jamaica Observer
While the majority of Caricom governments have signalled readiness to sign the EPA, reservations remain strong enough. Meanwhile, conflicting signals keep coming out of Brussels.
Planned bilateral deal to boost Canadian investment in RI
14-Jul-2008 Jakarta Post
Canada and Indonesia are currently in talks to ink a bilateral agreement that will help protect the investments of Canadian companies in Indonesia, as well as promote Indonesia’s potential to Canadian businesses.
Chile, Turkey end another round of FTA talks
12-Jul-2008 Xinhua
Chile and Turkey ended the second round of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement on Friday, the Chilean Foreign Ministry said, adding that "It’s very important to integrate the private sectors in this process, because they will take advantage of the FTA."