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EU plans two-track approach for FTA
15-Sep-2008 Bangkok Post
The European Union (EU) under the French presidency will focus on bilateral approaches in parallel with a bloc-to-bloc discussions with Asean on a free trade agreement, according to the French ambassador to Thailand.
Uruguay favors more trade accords, with or without Mercosur
15-Sep-2008 MercoPress
Uruguay formally proposed its Mercosur partners to begin a round of negotiations geared to reach trade agreements with the European Union, United States, South Korea and Canada.
RI eyes benefits from India pact
15-Sep-2008 Jakarta Post
Indonesia may see robust growth in exports to India following the conclusion of negotiations on a free trade agreement between India and members of ASEAN, mainly crude palm oil.
Fonterra caught in China milk powder scandal
15-Sep-2008 Epoch Times
New Zealand’s dairy giant Fonterra is caught up in the latest food scandal in China as the contaminated milk powder crisis reveals weeks of delay before the public was informed. NZ Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said “We signed up for a free trade agreement with no rules around environment or health, and so we are exposing ourselves and our companies to these types of scandals.”
EU to sign Asean amity, cooperation treaty
14-Sep-2008 The Nation
Despite Thailand’s political uncertainty the European Union remains keen to negotiate a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) with the Kingdom as a way to facilitate progress on a wider Asean-EU FTA.
New Delhi plans to join Investment Disputes Convention
13-Sep-2008 Economic Times
New Delhi is considering a proposal to join the World Bank convention, International Convention on Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Open letter from the Caribbean Conference of Churches
13-Sep-2008 Caribbean Net News
While it has been asserted that failure to conclude the agreement within the timeframe dictated by the E.C. would threaten Caribbean exports to Europe, we feel that our leaders should not be constrained to pursue a course of action which could prove to be adverse to our people in the long run.
Costa Rica court strikes down CAFTA bill for overlooking indigenous
12-Sep-2008 Tico Times
Costa Rica could miss its Oct. 1 deadline to pass law reforms needed to enter the Free Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) because of a legal snag in the final bill on intellectual property: Nobody thought to ask the country’s indigenous people.
Costa Rica top court blocks US trade pact approval
12-Sep-2008 AP
Costa Rica’s highest court on Thursday overturned an intellectual property law demanded by the US prior to the enactment of the Central American Free Trade Agreement. The Constitutional Court ruled that lawmakers improperly passed the bill — which included provisions on biodiversity — without consulting Indian groups.
India-EU trade agreement unlikely this year
12-Sep-2008 Business Standard
Negotiations for an ambitious free trade agreement between India and the European Union are on track but are unlikely to be completed by end of 2008, EC Ambassador to India said today.
FTA with Australia not moving as fast it should, says Rafidah
12-Sep-2008 Borneo Post
The conclusion of negotiations for the Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) may take longer than expected as Malaysia cannot agree to Australia’s requests which go beyond the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agenda, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said on Monday.
Gulf states set to start FTA talks with Iran
12-Sep-2008 Emirates Business 24/7
Gulf states have decided to accept an offer from Tehran to begin talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) that will add Iran to the list of many countries negotiating with the region for such a deal
S Korea looks into FTAs with Turkey, Peru
12-Sep-2008 Xinhua
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the country has started assessing the impact of free-trade agreement (FTA) with Turkey, and is also seriously considering to start formal talks for FTA with Peru, Korea Herald reported Thursday.
Malaysia hopeful to conclude CECA with India this year
12-Sep-2008 Hindu Business Line
Malaysia has expressed hope that the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement with India will be concluded this year.
Working conditions of foreign nurses in Japan ’exploitative’: study
12-Sep-2008 ABS-CBN
The Philippine government has used the annual entry of 400 Filipino nurses and 600 caregivers under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) as one of main reasons why the Senate should ratify the free trade accord. Yet foreign nurses and caregivers who want to work in Japan may find working conditions there exploitative or even discriminatory, according to a study.
EU, South Korea deal worries Turkey
12-Sep-2008 Turkish Daily News
A soon-to-be-finalized free trade agreement between the European Union and South Korea is causing concern for Turkey, as its market will be indirectly opened to South Korean products due to its customs union agreement with the EU.
Ecuador likely to negotiate bilateral association agreement with EU
12-Sep-2008 ANDINA
Ecuador would agree with Peru and Colombia to negotiate a bilateral Association Agreement between the Andean Community (CAN) and the European Union (EU), stated Thursday Peru’s minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Mercedes Aráoz.
Ecuador: Icsid panel claims it has jurisdiction in OXY case
11-Sep-2008 Dow Jones Newswires
A panel from the World Bank’s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes, or Icsid, said late Tuesday that it has jurisdiction for the claim of the US-based oil company Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY) against Ecuador.
An ominous week
11-Sep-2008 Starbroek News
To the man in the street, it seems that the EPA, and the debate on it, have split Caricom governments, and that the prospects for their arriving at some harmonious agreement at this week’s Caricom meeting are not good.
Protect and survive
11-Sep-2008 monbiot.com
Many are aware that the European equation of fair trade with free trade is nonsense, writes George Monbiot