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Europe open to Thai trade talks
3-Mar-2009 Bangkok Post
The European Union is willing to begin bilateral free trade talks with Thailand in a process that would move together with existing Asean-EU talks, said Philippe Meyer, the directorate-general for trade at the European Commission. "It takes time for a region to behave like a region. So we need to go faster," he said.
EU takes "realist" tone with Colombia
2-Mar-2009 Washington Post
While some in the EU have voiced concern about Colombia’s human rights failures, Europe’s top politicians do not seem interested in linking this problem to the FTA.
Obama to push Panama accord, work on Colombia, Korea
2-Mar-2009 Bloomberg
President Barack Obama plans to ask Congress to approve a long-delayed free-trade agreement with Panama and work to resolve remaining issues with the South Korea and Colombia accords so they can be ratified.
Sustaining global solidarity after Gaza
2-Mar-2009 Palestine Chronicle
In South America, serious pressure is building against the Israel-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement (FTA), threatening to derail it entirely. South American social movements, who have years of experience fighting against free trade, have integrated Palestine solidarity into their general work.
Taiwan renames trade pact
2-Mar-2009 Straits Times
The four-letter acronym of a proposed trade pact has sparked such a storm in Taiwan that the government had to change its name.
Law professor criticises new FTA
2-Mar-2009 TVNZ
A new 12-member free trade agreement between New Zealand, Australia and the 10 ASEAN countries has not got everybody’s stamp of approval. The agreement has been welcomed by groups such as Federated Farmers of New Zealand. However, Auckland University law professor Jane Kelsey says negative aspects of the agreement are being ignored.
S Korea, EU to hold talks on inter-session FTA
2-Mar-2009 Xinhua
South Korea and the European Union (EU) will hold a high-level meeting in Brussels this week to settle controversial issues such as auto trade and rules of origin in their free trade negotiations
Australia-ASEAN-NZ FTA (2009)
1-Mar-2009
ASEAN to forge free trade deal with EU as a group
1-Mar-2009 AHN
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations said Sunday it prefers a region to region free trade agreement with the European Union more than bilateral pacts with member countries.
Could a sudden collapse of Mexico be Obama’s surprise foreign policy challenge?
1-Mar-2009 La Prensa San Diego
A year-end report by the Pentagon’s Joint Forces Command names two countries as likely candidates for a “rapid and sudden collapse” — Pakistan and Mexico. Arguably, NAFTA is to blame for what could be Mexico’s impending destabilization.
Majority oppose Chapter 11 of NAFTA
1-Mar-2009 Op-ed News
A recent binational poll commissioned by the Council of Canadians, found that the majority of Americans and Canadians oppose provisions found in Chapter 11 of NAFTA.
Jagdeo calls for freeze on EPA in light of global crisis
1-Mar-2009 Jamaica Observer
Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo believes there should be a delay in implementing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) trade deal with Europe because of challenges created by the global financial crisis.
EAC seeks trade in services with EU
1-Mar-2009 EABW
Business leaders from East Africa have commenced discussions on how best the five member states of East Africa can export services to European markets under the current Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations.
Thailand, Indonesia to sign fishery, food, auto pact by 1st half
1-Mar-2009 Dow Jones
Commerce ministers of Thailand and Indonesia on Saturday agreed to launch a bilateral trade agreement on economic cooperation
Trade deal signed at ASEAN summit
1-Mar-2009 Al Jazeera
Australia and New Zealand have signed a free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — one of Asia’s largest trade arrangements.
Deeper North American Integration Still in the Cards
28-Feb-2009 Blacklisted News
There are fears that under an Obama presidency many on the left will go to sleep, now that Bush is out of office. This includes in Canada, where the left have been instrumental in exposing the SPP and fighting deeper integration into a North American Union.
Farmers Call For NAFTA Reforms
28-Feb-2009 Opednews.com
NAFTA has produced winners, mostly multinational corporations and a long list of losers, which includes farmers. The trade agreement has been the source of much discontent and has become an easy target.
ASEAN to sign trade pact with Australia, NZ
27-Feb-2009 IHT
Southeast Asian economic ministers signed two pacts on trade and investment Thursday and plan to ink a free trade pact with Australia and New Zealand at an annual summit, where they have vowed to resist protectionism amid the global economic slump.
MNCs Outside Asean Gaining More From Liberalisation
26-Feb-2009
Multinational corporations (MNCs) from outside Asean are taking better advantage of the region’s trade and investment liberalisation than the companies from within, Secretary General of Asean, Dr Surin Pitsuwan said.
Sino-Pak Insurance business can flourish after signing of FTA in Services Sector
26-Feb-2009
China Thursday hoped to see substantial progress for cooperation between Pakistan and China in the area of Insurance.