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Demerits of the EU trade agreements
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
"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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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)
New Delhi not to freely ink trade pacts with controlled economies
The Indian government may take a cautious approach while negotiating free trade agreements with countries such as China that do not have a market-driven exchange rate policy.
Gulf Cooperation Council to launch common market in January 2008
Leaders of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) yesterday announced their plan to launch a common market in January 2008 and a currency union by 2010 in addition to maintaining their currencies’ peg to the US dollar.
NZ: Momentum growing for free-trade deal with US
It would appear that Washington is most interested in forging a deal with the Pacific Four nations (New Zealand, Singapore, Chile and Brunei) who have forged a Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership (known as P4).
Correa warns on dangers of FTA with US
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said that the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) are tremendously danger and a problem for our countries.
No amount of EU money can right the wrongs of proposed EPAs
Europe’s EPA agenda poses a grave danger to the people and economy of South Africa.
Israel: India next goal for free-trade agreement
Israel is due to sign a free-trade agreement with Mercosur this week, and is considering an agreement with Russia and India.
India, Hong Kong plan free trade agreement
India and Hong Kong have initiated talks on a free trade agreement to promote bilateral trade and investment.
Japan seeks to assure future through East Asia initiative
Hiroyuki Ishige, director-general of Japan’s Trade Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, told me the other day that the size of Japan’s population peaked about two years ago, forcing the country to prepare for the consequences of a declining and ageing population. One measure is to expand the role of Japanese businesses and industries overseas because of slower growth in domestic opportunities due to the demographic factor.
US set to finalise FTA, BIT after emergency
"As soon as emergency is lifted and constitution is restored, the Bush administration would start finalising various issues with Pakistan, including Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and the setting up of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) in Azad Kashmir and Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (Fata),” a US embassy spokesperson, Ms Elizabeth Colton, said.