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Trade bloc ’must reap benefits of EU funds’
A split among Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries that were also members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries would be detrimental to the region when the European Development Fund decided by year end to roll out development funds for the SADC region, said Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma yesterday.
India may relent on FTA talks with Asean
India is bending over backwards with regard to its free trade agreement (FTA) talks with an ostensibly disinterested Asean. Sources say the commerce ministry is now considering breaking India’s 709-strong sensitive list with a view to shifting some of them to the normal track, which entails elimination of tariffs latest by 2015.
ASEAN aims to ink free trade pact with Japan in November
Southeast Asian countries aim to sign a free trade pact with Japan in November, and will try to remove obstacles in the negotiations at a ministerial meeting in Brunei this week, an official said Thursday.
Labor movement divided on approach to FTA
Korea’s two umbrella labor groups are split about the free trade agreement with the United States. KCTU is against the FTA altogether. FKTU has taken the position that the agreement needs "followup" measures.
Global trade talks stall as free trade agreements grow in Asia
As the latest World Trade Organization round of talks loses momentum, bilateral and regional free trade agreements are mushrooming in Asia.
Drug makers fear trade deal from House Dems, administration
Research-based pharmaceutical companies could be among the biggest losers if House Democrats and the Bush administration reach an agreement on trade, industry sources said this week.
ASEAN to discuss free trade framework with Japan, EU
ASEAN economic ministers will tackle issues and modalities on proposed free trade negotiations with Japan and the European Union, but not with the US, starting today.
US plans to proceed to free trade agreement with Pakistan
US intends to go ahead to Free Trade Agreement with Pakistan after striking a mutual investment deal with Pakistan.
12th COMESA Summit preparations on course
Trade Minister Mukhisa Kituyi has said preparations for the 12th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit are on course.
Govt sets FTA target
Australia is aiming to have nearly two-thirds of its exports and imports covered by bilateral or regional trade deals.
FTA to top Asean talks at retreat with Japan and EU
After signing a free trade agreement with South Korea, negotiations are underway at the 13th Asean Economic Ministers (AEM) Retreat, for Japan to be next on the list to sign the deal with the South East Asian Nations grouping.
Uribe lobbies U.S. lawmakers on aid, trade deal
With support of U.S. President George W. Bush, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe sought to convince U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday to approve more military and anti-narcotics aid and back a trade deal.
Latin leftists mull quitting World Bank arbitrator
Bolivia and Venezuela, both nationalizing huge swathes of their economies, should quit a World Bank body that arbitrates between foreign investors and states, Bolivia’s president said on Sunday.
Ending FTA Hearings Before October Is Unlikely
This newspaper carried out telephone interviews over the prospects of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) passing through the U.S. Congress with four experts: Jeffrey J. Schott, a senior fellow with the Institute for International Economics; Claude Barfield, a resident scholar at American Enterprise Institute; Larry Allen Niksch, a Specialist in Asian Affairs with the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress, and Anthony B. Kim, a research associate in the Center for International Trade and Economics at the Heritage Foundation.
EU plans to start FTA talks in Asia
The European Commission has adopted negotiating mandates for new free trade agreements with trade partners in the 10-nation Asean bloc plus India and South Korea, according to a news release from Brussels.
Canadian FM calls for lifting of ban on beef imports before FTA talks
Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay on Wednesday called on South Korea to remove its ban on Canadian beef imports, saying it could be a stumbling block in talks for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
Sri Lanka enters into economic cooperation agreement with Israel
Sri Lanka last week entered into an economic cooperation agreement with Israel.
Activists back Venezuela-driven alternative integration
Progressive social and political movements joined the governments of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) at the fifth ALBA summit in Venezuela.
Countries determined to protect sugar benefits
The African, Carribean, Pacific countries are determined to safeguard the benefits the Sugar Protocol provided and would explore avenues to uphold its position, says ACP Sugar Ministerial chairman Dr Arvin Boolell.
S. Korea to decide on start of FTA talks with EU next week
South Korea is scheduled to decide on the beginning of negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) at a meeting of ministers next week, a government official said Sunday.