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Rehabilitating protection and resituating trade agreements
12-Apr-2021 The Hill
Recent calls for the US to launch a trade dispute over Mexico’s proposed decree to ban glyphosate and the planting and importation of GM corn mischaracterize the science on glyphosate, the decree and the role of US trade policy.
Arbitration case: Cairn Energy offers to invest $1.2 bn if India relents
12-Apr-2021 Business Standard
Cairn Energy has offered to invest the entire award money in India, which includes the principal amount of $1.2 billion and interest of $500 million if the government agrees to enforce the award.
UK ‘close’ to trade deal with New Zealand that could lead to cheaper wine and meat
12-Apr-2021 Inews
UK and New Zealand will enter the final round of talks this week.
House approves Indonesia-EFTA trade deal
12-Apr-2021 The Jakarta Post
Indonesia is one short step away from having its first trade agreement with European countries after legislators approved a bill over a deal between Indonesia and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
Singapore ratifies mega free trade agreement RCEP
12-Apr-2021 Hellenic Shipping News
Singapore ratified the RCEP agreement on Friday, becoming the first participating country to do so in a multi-nation trade pact that brings together the 10 ASEAN economies as well as Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
ACTU condemns Morrison Government for pressing ahead with new trade agreement with military regime in Myanmar
11-Apr-2021 Mirage News
The ACTU has condemned the Federal Government at an inquiry hearing into Myanmar today for pressing ahead with ratifying the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement which includes trade with Myanmar.
Europe’s China gambit
10-Apr-2021 Project Syndicate
Trade and investment agreements cannot transform China into a Western-style market economy or turn it into a democracy.
Does new EU-ACP deal really ’decolonise’ aid?
9-Apr-2021 EU Observer
Based on what we have seen in nearly final drafts of the text, the EU seems poised to again fail to promote a real shift in power relations due to imbalances that remain written into the new deal.
Why we need to talk about the African free trade area
9-Apr-2021 Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung
The AfCFTA will give the African Union the chance to become a strong, independent player in the world economy – at least that is the optimistic forecast. But there are good reasons to cast doubt on the high hopes pinned on the African free trade area.
Rethinking investment law from the ground up: extractivism, human rights, and investment treaties
9-Apr-2021 IISD
For many people affected by resource extraction, it is the prevailing legal regime that dis-embeds and disintegrates, because investment treaties can protect ventures that upend their lives with little scope for voice or redress.
Belarus, China in talks over agreement on investments, trade in services
9-Apr-2021 BELTA
The first round of negotiations over the agreement on investments and trade in services between Belarus and China was held online on 7 April.
From gunboats to treaties: Who wrote the rules of globalisation?
8-Apr-2021 Investment Monitor
From colonisation to investor-state dispute settlements, rich countries have sought to exploit and influence their poorer counterparts for centuries, but how did globalisation in its current form come to be?
UAE and Israel move closer to tax treaty that will help boost foreign investments
8-Apr-2021 The National
A free trade agreement and double taxation treaty are among several frameworks being worked on by the UAE and Israel to increase trade and investments flows between the two nations after they normalised relations last year.
Nobel economist and 100 experts condemn corporate action against Argentina and Bolivia after rollback of failed pension privatization
8-Apr-2021 IPS
Private insurance corporations are suing Argentina and Bolivia for loss of potential profits as a result of the reversal of privatization of pension programs.
Canada explores bilateral trade in Southeast Asia
7-Apr-2021 The Western Producer
Canada continues to pursue a multi-lateral free trade agreement with Southeast Asian nations, and those involved with negotiations say bilateral deals in the region could lead to larger pacts.
Barrick forces hand of Papua New Guinea government in reopening Porgera mine
7-Apr-2021 Mining Watch
Referring repeatedly to legal threats by Barrick Gold Corp., Prime Minister Papua New Guinea released a statement announcing that his government will be making a deal with the company in regard to the Porgera Joint Venture gold mine.
Singapore ratifies ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement
7-Apr-2021 Khmer Times
Singapore has ratified the ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement and become the first ASEAN member to do so.
Uruguay pushing to make Mercosur more flexible
7-Apr-2021 Anadolu
Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay reportedly wish to make the trading bloc more flexible for commerce by negotiating new trade accords to reduce the bloc’s tariffs.
Digital trade deal ripe for the Indo-Pacific
7-Apr-2021 The Hill
US Trade Representative has raised digital trade as an area of potential future cooperation in her coversations thus far with Asian partners.
First labor rights claim under the revised NAFTA filed by migrant worker women in the US — what does it mean in terms of the new labor rulebook in the region?
7-Apr-2021 Public Citizen
The complaint represents many organizations’ intentions to test if the revised NAFTA’s labor terms could be an effective tool to improve workers’ conditions.