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European Commission welcomes adoption of negotiating mandates for new free trade agreements with India, Korea and ASEAN
23-Apr-2007 DG Trade
The European Commission has welcomed the formal adoption by European Member States of negotiating mandates for a new generation of Free Trade Agreements with India, South Korea and ASEAN.
EU to start negotiations for Association Agreement with the Andean Community
23-Apr-2007 EUROPA
The EU and the Andean Community announced yesterday in Santo Domingo their intention to start negotiations for an Association Agreement in the margins of the next EU-Andean Community Joint Committee that will be held in La Paz at the end of May 2007.
Asia-Pacific trade ministers defend bilateral deals
22-Apr-2007 PDI
Two trade ministers from Asia-Pacific nations — Singapore and Australia — on Saturday defended bilateral and regional trade agreements as potentially contributing to, not detracting from, the global trade regime.
The FTA between Colombia and the US cannot be salvaged
22-Apr-2007 ZNet
What remains to be seen is who can exert more influence on the Democratic majority in Congress. Will it be US transnational corporations that apply pressure because of the profits they expect from the FTA, or the democratic sectors and workers who elected Democrats to Congress with their votes?
Taiwan’s marginalization by FTAs
22-Apr-2007 Taipei Times
The South Korean-US FTA will have the greatest impact on Taiwan of all the agreements signed in the world thus far. Current estimates predict Taiwan will suffer trade losses to the tune of US$2 billion — about 5 percent of Taiwan’s total exports.
Deliberations continuing with EU, Canada, Turkey on free trade, QIZs - Jordan
22-Apr-2007 MENAFN
Several agreements are in the pipeline to accelerate Jordan’s free trade drive and maximise the advantages of Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs), Industry and Trade Minister Salem Khazaaleh said on Saturday.
India, New Zealand to initiate free trade pact
22-Apr-2007 Earth Times
India and New Zealand have initiated steps to ink a free trade agreement (FTA) but it could be a while before this becomes a reality.
Workshop on socio-economic impact of trade liberalization on Lebanon
22-Apr-2007 ANND
It is important to consider the level to which Lebanon is ready to negotiate and implement the various free trade agreements, how much Lebanon is clear on the costs and benefits of the agreements it is negotiating, and the restrictions of policy space that is imposed through these agreements.
Australian trade minister argues in favor of free trade agreements in lieu of WTO deal
21-Apr-2007
Countries will continue to negotiate their own free trade agreements in the absence of a WTO deal, but those bilateral arrangements could actually help the chances for a global trade pact, Australia’s trade minister said Saturday.
A juicy deal
21-Apr-2007
Sunny prospects for the state’s citrus industry are among many good reasons for Florida’s members of Congress to get behind a proposed free-trade agreement between the United States and South Korea.
Prosecution opens probe on leaking of FTA documents
21-Apr-2007
The prosecution has launched an investigation into the leaking of confidential government documents on negotiation strategies for free trade talks with the United States, prosecution officials said Saturday.
Abe-Bush summit likely to touch on bilateral FTA
21-Apr-2007 Japan Times
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President George W. Bush are likely to discuss making a bilateral free-trade agreement the subject of future negotiations when they meet next week, government sources said Friday.
Taiwan: EU official says any FTA will be ’some time’
21-Apr-2007 Taipei Times
The EU’s de facto ambassador to Taiwan told the European Chamber of Commerce in Taipei that it would be some time before the EU was able to evaluate the feasibility of a FTA with Taiwan. The prerequisites would be whether European companies see any need for or benefits from such a deal and whether the Taiwanese government is interested in signing a pact.
Development and intellectual property under the EPA negotiations
21-Apr-2007 South Centre
This South Centre policy brief examines the approach under the ongoing EPA negotiations with respect to innovation, biodiversity and traditional knowledge, public health, Least Developed Countries and on enforcement of intellectual property rights. It concludes that considering the level of economic development in ACP countries, the negotiations should not include IP rights as part of the partnership agreement.
Intellectual property, bilateral agreements and sustainable development: A strategy note
20-Apr-2007 CIEL
This paper addresses the main threats of the intellectual property chapters in the bilateral and regional agreements with the US for access to medicines, give an overview of the reactions from different sectors to these agreements, and outline some strategic considerations for future action.
The European approach to intellectual property in European Partnership Agreements with the ACP countries
20-Apr-2007 CIEL
A CIEL discussion paper on the European Union’s attempts to impose TRIPS-plus standards on 76 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
US trade pacts at risk over business-labor clash
20-Apr-2007 Reuters
Bush administration efforts to reach a deal with the US Congress on trade were thrown into doubt on Thursday as US business and labor groups clashed over the core issue in the talks.
Namibia: ’Forget EU offer’ - expert
20-Apr-2007 AllAfrica.com
Market researcher at Meatco, Wallie Roux, yesterday criticized the European Union’s haste to have the Southern African Development Community-Economic Partnership Agreement (SADC-EPA) signed by the end of the year. "This is the biggest successful public relations stunt pulled by the EU," he observed.
EPA threatens N6.2b non-oil exports revenue, local industries - MAN
20-Apr-2007 AllAfrica.com
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has warned that harmonisation of tariffs under the proposed ECOWAS-EU Economic Partnership Agreement will lead to loss of over 478 million dollars (about N6.2 billion) in revenue from non-oil exports annually, and closure of some industries in the country.
Referendum on FTA unleashes political controversy in Costa Rica
20-Apr-2007 GRANMA
The call for a referendum in Costa Rica to decide on the future of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States has unleashed a hotly-debated controversy on the issue, which has marked political life here over the last three years, the AFP reports.