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NAFTA at fourteen: Historic Mexico-USA showdown looms
24-Dec-2007 Mexidata
As the 14th anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) fast approaches, rural opponents of the trinational pact are stepping up their mobilizations on both sides of the US-Mexico border. Mexican farm groups and their supporters are gearing up for border-wide actions on January 1, 2008 to protest the final elimination of tariffs on corn, bean, sugar and powdered milk.
US benefits most from free trade pact with Bahrain
23-Dec-2007 Gulfnews
The US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has proven to be beneficial to the American side. The deal came into effect at the start of August 2006. Available statistics indicate that American exports have increased a hefty 28 per cent during the first year of FTA’s implementation. Bahrain’s exports dropped by 10 per cent in the same period.
India’s FTA rush: Kerala’s farmers and fishworkers stand to lose
21-Dec-2007
New FTAs such as the EU-India Trade and Investment Agreement, India-Thailand FTA and the ASEAN-India Regional Trade and Investment Area pose threats to the fishing community in Kerala.
Duty-free US corn imports force Mexico GMO debate
20-Dec-2007 Reuters
Cheap US corn will flood into Mexico in January when trade barriers are lifted under NAFTA, pitting local farmers against each other over how to protect the crop that has fed Mexico for thousands of years.
ACP ministers express concern over EPA negotiations
20-Dec-2007 AllAfrica.com
The ACP Council of Ministers deplores the enormous pressure that has been brought to bear on the ACP States by the European Commission to initial the interim trade arrangements, contrary to the spirit of the ACP-EU partnership.
Mercosur, EU to restart free-trade talks in May, Estado reports
20-Dec-2007 Bloomberg
The Mercosur trade bloc, made up of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, plans to restart talks with the European Union on a free-trade agreement in May, Estado de S. Paulo reported
Joining the fold
20-Dec-2007 Al-Ahram
The US since 2000 espoused even closer links between its strategic interests and trade liberalisation. Europe is not far behind.
NPPC urges Australia not to restrict pork imports
20-Dec-2007 Farms.com
Citing the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which became effective Jan. 1, 2005, the US National Pork Producers Council said, in advance of an Australian government report that may recommend protecting Australia’s pork industry, that US pork should be excluded from any such action.
Colombia thanks Harper for trade deal lobbying
20-Dec-2007 Embassy Magazine
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s role in lobbying the United States Congress to ratify its free trade deal with Colombia has been warmly acknowledged by the Latin American nation’s government amidst mounting opposition to Canada’s efforts to ink an agreement of its own.
Demerits of the EU trade agreements
19-Dec-2007 AllAfrica.com
The EU used a variety of unsavoury negotiating tactics to get its interim agreements with East African countries to the signing stage.
Le président de Sao Tomé rejette les APE
19-Dec-2007 African Manager
"Pour l’instant, je dois dire qu’après analyse au niveau de la sous-région, nous avons trouvé que les conditions n’étaient pas réunies pour la signature des APE", a affirmé le chef de l’Etat saotoméen, appuyant les positions des présidents sénégalais, Abdoulaye Wade, et sud-africain, Thabo Mbeki, qui rejettent les termes proposés par l’UE.
Africa united against EU arrogance
19-Dec-2007 AllAfrica.com
The recent summit between African heads of states and the EU has shown that Europe has failed to move beyond their colonial-era past-times of economic and political bullying.
Comesa censures EAC over trade deal with EU
19-Dec-2007 AllAfrica.com
East Africa’s signing of an interim trade pact with Europe has come under heavy criticism for dividing Africa as well as undermining the continent’s integration efforts. Interview with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Secretary-General Erastus Mwencha.
US working on new Pacific trade accord, people say
19-Dec-2007 Bloomberg
The Bush administration is preparing to negotiate an agreement linking the US, Chile, Singapore, Brunei and New Zealand in a Pacific-region accord to reduce barriers to trade and foreign investment, according to lobbyists briefed by the US trade office.
Ghana: Farmers divided over EPA
19-Dec-2007 Myjoyonline
A sharp contrast exists in the views expressed by pineapple and poultry farmers on the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement, also known as EPA-lite, signed between the Government of Ghana and the European Union on December 13.
Israel signs free-trade accord with South American bloc
18-Dec-2007 Haaretz
Mercosur, the South American trade bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), signed a free-trade agreement with Israel on Tuesday, its first pact with a country outside of Latin America.
West Africa bloc aims for EU trade deal by June ’09
18-Dec-2007 Reuters
West African countries agreed on Monday on an 18-month timetable to negotiate and sign a regional economic partnership agreement with Europe by June 2009, top officials said.
West Africa: Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire would be hardest hit under EPAs
18-Dec-2007 AllAfrica.com
Nigeria, now predominantly an oil economy, would escape the imminent danger that would befall the largely agro-based products of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
EU wants to reopen free trade negotiations with Mercosur
18-Dec-2007 Xinhua
The European Union is ready to resume free trade talks with the South American Common Market (Mercosur). The two blocs began negotiations in November 1999 with the aim of concluding an agreement by 2005, but progress has been slow due to disagreements over import restrictions on agricultural goods.
US-Taiwan TIFA (1994)
18-Dec-2007 AIT