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ESF: Public urged to act on trade agreements
20-Oct-2004 IPS
African and European civil society groups are urging European citizens to put pressure on their governments to halt regional trade agreements between the European Union and developing countries.
Mercosur and Andean Community sign free trade pact
20-Oct-2004 IPS
South America’s two large trade blocs, the Mercosur and Andean Community of Nations (CAN), have signed an agreement to phase out all import tariffs over the next 15 years, with a view towards eventually creating an immense free trade zone in the region.
Bangladesh-Nepal Economic Ties
20-Oct-2004
Excerpts from the welcome address of H.E. Huyamun Kabir, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal, at the Bangladesh Trade Fair, 8 October 2004
EU-Brazil agreement for scientific & technological cooperation (2003)
20-Oct-2004
Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing of the Agreement for scientific and technological co-operation between the European Community and the Federative Republic of Brazil
EU and Syria initial long-awaited association pact
20-Oct-2004 EU Business
The European Union and Syria have initialled an association agreement that commits both sides to work towards free trade — as well as against weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.
EU-Mercosur resume trade talks in Lisbon
20-Oct-2004 MercoPress
The European Union and Mercosur will resume trade negotiations today and decide whether the association agreement — an “utmost geo-strategic and commercial interest” for Brussels — can be reached before November 1 when a new team of European Commissioners takes over in Brussels.
Korean screen quota system in dispute - again
20-Oct-2004 Korea Herald
The dispute about Korea`s screen quota system is flaring up again, with government officials squaring off against the local movie industry over whether the "protectionist" measure should be scrapped.
Stiglitz: New trade pacts betray the poorest partners
19-Oct-2004
In negotiating trade agreements with Morocco, Chile and other countries, the Bush administration has used the same approach that earned us the enmity of so much of the rest of the world. The bilateral agreements reveal an economic policy dictated more by special interests than by a concern for the well-being of our poorer trading partners.
Peru to review ban on Thai rice imports
19-Oct-2004 TNA
Thailand and Peru have edged closer to forming a free trade area (FTA) following discussions between Thai Trade Representative Kantathir Suphamongkhon and Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, in which the Peruvian leader promised to exercise greater trade flexibility with Thailand than with other countries, and to review a ban on the import of Thai rice.
Protective law demanded ahead of Korea-Japan FTA
19-Oct-2004 Korea Times
Korea’s four major business organizations have urged the government to enact a special law ahead of a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan in order to protect domestic companies from negative effects of the pact.
Joint Japan-China study to examine FTA impact
18-Oct-2004 Daily Yomiuri
The Japan External Trade Organization has established a joint research group with a Chinese government institute to examine the possible impact on the Japanese and Chinese economies of a bilateral free trade agreement.
EU demands improved intellectual property protection from Israel
18-Oct-2004 Jerusalem Post
The European Commission has decided to increase pressure on Israel to adopt more stringent intellectual property protection for the benefit of EU pharmaceutical companies.
NGOs fear trade-off in RP-Japan trade talks
17-Oct-2004 Philippine Star
Talks of a possible trade-off between the local agriculture and industrial sectors in the on-going trade negotiations for the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) are worrying various sectors.
RP-Japan pact: Japan’s economic takeover
16-Oct-2004 IMC Quezon City
The Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, more than a trade agreement, is essentially about increasing and ensuring the free entry and operation of Japanese investors in the Philippines by limiting the role of government in regulating investments.
’Change in labour law must for UAE-US FTA’
16-Oct-2004 Khaleej Times
UAE will have to change its labour code to meet international labour laws, revise the agency law and investment / sponsorship rules in order to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US, according to US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.
ICC urges Thailand to go multilateral route
15-Oct-2004 The Nation
The international business community has called on Thailand to abandon its plans for bilateral deals and adopt instead the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) agenda of multilateral cooperation.
Oman, US hold joint meeting on free trade pact
15-Oct-2004 Times of Oman
A joint meeting between the Sultanate of Oman and a US trade delegation headed by Robert Zoellick was held in Muscat yesterday to review a free trade agreement, which is expected to be signed in 2005.
India initiates FTA talks with Gulf Cooperation Council
15-Oct-2004 Economic Times
The government of India has kickstarted the process for clinching a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, with which New Delhi had entered into a framework agreement for economic cooperation in August.
Area sugar farmers see pledge as victory for industry
14-Oct-2004 The Forum
US Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has promised to scrap the controversial US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) if elected president November 2.
China may sign FTA with New Zealand first
13-Oct-2004 ABC
New Zealand may emerge as the first western country to sign a free trade agreement with China. A study looking at such a deal is to be released next month, and official negotiations between the two governments will start in the new year.