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S Korea seeking free trade with South America’s Mercosur: commerce minister
10-Dec-2007 Yonhap
South Korea is seeking a free trade pact with Mercosur to pave the way for Korean firms to increase investment and exports to Brazil and the other member states, South Korea’s commerce minister said Saturday.
Ivory Coast initials interim trade deal with EU
10-Dec-2007 Reuters
Ivory Coast inked an interim trade accord with the European Union on Friday as the bloc pushes for deals with as many former European colonies as possible before preferential trade terms expire on December 31. The top cocoa producer is the first West African country to sign a bilateral deal, breaking ranks with the region’s ECOWAS economic community.
Namibia: EPA pain in the butt
10-Dec-2007 AllAfrica.com
Government’s refusal to sign the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) has thrown a challenge to the private sector, which had put too much trust on the Cotonou Agreement by regarding European markets as the only export destination.
EU should not pressure developing countries over trade agreements says WCC leader
10-Dec-2007 Ekklesia
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev Dr Samuel Kobia has told European Commissioner Peter Mandelson that the coercive approach adopted by the EU poisons the negotiating atmosphere and that the interim agreements are not consistent with development, poverty eradication and rights to food.
CLC-KCTU joint statement on Korea-Canada free trade agreements
10-Dec-2007 KCTU
On the eve of the 12th round of negotiations between Canada and Korea for a trade deal, the Canadian Labour Congress and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, representing over four million workers in both countries, call on our respective governments to immediately halt these trade talks.
Mary Robinson concerned about EU approach to EPAs
9-Dec-2007 IPS
A recent study by Realizing Rights, an ‘‘ethical globalisation’’ body set up by the former UN commissioner for human rights and former Irish president Mary Robinson, forecasts that an EPA could harm Ghana’s development prospects by narrowing its scope to create more and better-paid jobs.
Korea, Mexico hold free trade negotiations
8-Dec-2007 Korea.net
Korea and Mexico held their first round of negotiations this week on a free trade agreement aimed at tearing down market barriers between the two countries
Bush wields Colombia trade deal to halt Venezuela
8-Dec-2007 AFP
Bush is now presenting the FTA to Congress as the main US policy tool to halt the influence of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
Peru free trade agreement is disaster for farmers everywhere
7-Dec-2007 Topeka Capital Journal
The same international grain traders who dumped below-cost grain into Mexico after NAFTA, driving over a million farmers off the land and fueling illegal migration into the United States, will now do the same in Peru.
CARICOM leaders again negotiate with EU
7-Dec-2007 Prensa Latina
The complexity of the negotiations of an Accord of Economic Association with the European Union will mobilize the Heads of State of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Friday, for the third time in the last two months.
Trade row casts shadow over EU-Africa summit
7-Dec-2007 IC
A row over new trade rules risks souring the mood at this weekend’s EU-Africa summit and underlines the problems Europe faces in forging new relations with its former colonies, according to analysts.
Japan aide urges US Congress approve Korea trade deal
7-Dec-2007 IHT
Japan hopes the US Congress will approve a free trade deal with South Korea that it believes could be a "building block" toward a larger US-East Asian free trade zone, a Japanese official said on Thursday.
Short end of stick for Peru farmers
7-Dec-2007 Prensa Latina
The Peruvian government’s happiness was contrasted today by the solemnity of agrarian producers after the ratification of the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement by the US Senate.
Best safety net is complete rejection of JPEPA
7-Dec-2007
Philippines government negotiators now finally acknowledge that the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) will have adverse effects, hence the need for “safety nets”. But no amount of safety nets will be enough precisely because Japan’s intention is to create conditions for the maximum exploitation of the Philippines’ natural and human resources through JPEPA.
EU-SADC interim FTA (2007)
7-Dec-2007
Initialled by Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique on 23 November 2007
EU-Pacific interim FTA (2007)
7-Dec-2007
Initialled by Papua New Guinea and Fiji on 23 November 2007
EU-EAC interim FTA (2007)
7-Dec-2007
Initialled by the East African Community (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) on 27 November 2007
EU-ESA interim FTA (2007)
7-Dec-2007
Initialled by Zimbabwe and the Seychelles on 28 November 2007 and by Mauritius on 5 December 2007
Criticism of the EFTA
6-Dec-2007
Swiss NGOs call for a moratorium on bilateral free trade agreements with developing countries
Mechanism to scan impact of FTAs soon
6-Dec-2007 Economic Times
Responding to the increasing political resistance to trade liberalisation, India’s commerce & industry ministry is planning to set up a special mechanism to monitor the impact of free trade agreements.