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Food safety on the butcher’s block
18-Apr-2008 FPIP
The United States is using bilateral trade agreements to arm-twist weaker countries into accepting its food safety standards as a tool to expand the market control of US corporations. South Korea is the latest victim.
Pacific trade ministers slam EU Trade Commissioner Mandelson
18-Apr-2008 Pacific Network on Globalisation
New letters show extent of dissent among Pacific trade ministers as ministers accuse top EU trade official of being "domineering" and using divide and rule tactics to split the region.
Trade dept backs proposal for trade rep office
17-Apr-2008
A proposal to create an Office of the Philippine Trade Representative (OPTR) is being supported by the Department of Trade and Industry as a means to help strengthen the country’s capability to negotiate external trade.
Free trade agreement not to blame - Cullen
17-Apr-2008
The Government was stung by suggestions yesterday that its much vaunted free trade agreement with China was linked to the loss of 430 jobs in Fisher and Paykel’s Mosgiel dishdrawer plant and hit back at the company.
A fairly thorough analysis of the NZ-China FTA
17-Apr-2008 Scoop
China will now be seeking to extrapolate figures upwards in every other developed country FTA — starting with Australia — into very significant numbers, based on what we, with our tiny population, were willing to concede.
Lee to link US beef import to visa waiver
17-Apr-2008 Korea Times
President Lee Myung-bak is expected to promise a full opening of the domestic beef market to the United States in exchange for U.S. authorization of South Koreans to tour the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
EU Free Trade Agreements Manual
17-Apr-2008 Oxfam GB
Eight briefings on the European Union’s approach to Free Trade Agreements published jointly by ActionAid, Christian Aid, and Oxfam
New free trade accord with China soon: Musharraf
17-Apr-2008 Dawn
President Pervez Musharraf said on Tuesday that Pakistan and China were close to signing another Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on trade and services that would further boost their economic and commercial ties.
New Zealand-China FTA (2008)
17-Apr-2008 NZ-China FTA website
Arroyo can’t pressure Senate on JPEPA—Senator Pia Cayetano
16-Apr-2008 PDI
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should not be pressuring the Senate to ratify the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), Senator Pia Cayetano said Wednesday. "Anyone attending the hearings on JPEPA would have concluded that this agreement has so many loopholes and that the government panel miserably failed to secure terms favorable to Filipinos."
Industry group urges Congress to unfreeze Colombia trade agreement
16-Apr-2008 Market Wire
The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) called on Congressional leaders to approve the trade pact claiming considerable progress in Colombian government efforts to protect trade unionists.
Eight reasons to reject the JPEPA
16-Apr-2008 IBON
The Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) can be best described in three words: unequal, defeatist and destructive. Recent government propaganda, however, has been trying to depict the JPEPA as an indispensable agreement— even as the country is currently reeling from a food crisis brought about by the same neoliberal framework that JPEPA was designed from. A statement from IBON.
Egypt to discuss FTA with India
15-Apr-2008 Hindu Bussiness Line
Egypt on Tuesday said it would explore the possibility of a Free Trade Agreement with India to boost trade and investment between the two countries.
S Korea, EU to meet next week for FTA talks
15-Apr-2008 Trading Markets
Top trade officials from South Korea and the European Union (EU) plan to meet in Japan next week to discuss how both sides will carry out the ongoing free trade negotiations
Australian trade minister to visit China for FTA negotiation resumption
15-Apr-2008 Trading Markets
Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean said China has agreed to unfreeze negotiations
Million dollar China deal 48 hours after free trade agreement
15-Apr-2008 Scoop
New Zealand apparel company Norsewear is one of the first to benefit from the recently signed free trade agreement with China — securing an order worth close to a million dollars in less than 48 hours after the historic deal was signed.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka to expand the scope of free trade agreement
15-Apr-2008 Asian Tribune
The trade agreement has opened central Asian countries adjacent to Pakistan to new Sri Lankan exports.
Rights groups applaud trade deal’s tabling
15-Apr-2008 One World US
Long-time US critics of corporate-friendly free trade agreements are applauding House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi for effectively putting the brakes on a deal with the South American nation of Colombia.
Bush scolds Congress on Colombia trade
14-Apr-2008
President Bush stepped up pressure Monday on Congress to approve a controversial free-trade pact with Colombia, saying the deal is "dead" unless House Speaker Nancy Pelosi schedules a vote.
Japan, ASEAN finish inking free trade pact: statement
14-Apr-2008 AFP
Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations said Monday they had finished signing a deal to tear down trade barriers between the world’s second-largest economy and the 10-member bloc. The deal, which is set to come into effect later this year, was formally signed Monday by Malaysia, the last of the 10 members of the ASEAN bloc to sign off.