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State puts RCEP pact on fast track
18-Nov-2020 Bangkok Post
Seeing the pact as a vital tool for economic recovery and growth, Thai ministry expects free trade among RCEP members to start by the middle of next year, following almost eight years of talks.
RCEP, a threat to our rights - POP
18-Nov-2020 People Over Profit
RCEP is a threat to people’s rights. Thus, it is imperative that the people push back the neoliberal narrative of RCEP and confront the corporate dictates over economic and political policies.
Secretive mega-trade deal rules could harm Asia’s Covid-19 recovery
18-Nov-2020 Inter Press Service News Agency
Fifteen countries will sign a mega-trade deal at the ASEAN conference this weekend imposing secretive restrictions on how governments help workers through the pandemic, trade union leaders and parliamentarians have warned.
What is RCEP and why are Trade Unions in the Asia-Pacific Region concerned about It?
18-Nov-2020 News Click
Even as the new agreement between ASEAN nations and its free trade partners establishes the largest trading bloc in the world, it is vehemently being opposed by labor unions, trade justice groups and women’s movements
Explainer: What happens now the RCEP trade deal has been signed?
17-Nov-2020 Reuters
Fifteen Asia-Pacific economies signed what could become the world’s largest free trade agreement on Sunday, covering nearly a third of the global population and about 30% of its global gross domestic product.
S. Korea, Cambodia to hold 4th round of FTA talks
17-Nov-2020 Yonhap
South Korea will hold the fourth round of free trade talks with Cambodia this week as part of efforts to diversify its export portfolio in Southeast Asia.
Qatar, Tunisia discuss signing free trade agreement
17-Nov-2020 The Peninsula
The two countries aim to increase the volume of trade exchange and diversify it by signing a free trade agreement.
Tensions simmer over EU-Africa trade relations
17-Nov-2020 Euractiv
Trade relations are likely to be at the heart of the delayed EU-Africa ‘strategic partnership’, but only if long-standing tensions can be resolved.
No agreements that are FTAs by stealth with China, to focus on EU, US: India on RCEP
17-Nov-2020 The Economic Times
India will avoid joining agreements which are actually trade pacts by stealth with China and instead explore trade agreements with developed countries with large markets such as the US and EU where Indian products and services would be competitive unlike ASEAN.
Foreign investors harmed by trade measures may find relief by bringing investment arbitration claims
16-Nov-2020 JDsupra
Vento’s claims ultimately failed on the merits because Vento could not show irregularities in the Mexican tax authority’s treatment of its investment.
Taiwan talks up trans-Pacific trade pact after exclusion from world’s largest free-trade bloc RCEP
16-Nov-2020 The Straits Times
Trade-dependent Taiwan has made relatively good progress towards joining the revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but it is awaiting clearer rules on membership, the island’s chief trade negotiator said.
Trade agreements as door-openers
16-Nov-2020 D+C
Bilateral trade agreements often act as door-openers for the manufactured products of multinational food companies. Milk powder with vegetable fat is an example.
S. Korea to hold 4th round of talks on amending FTA with Chile
16-Nov-2020 Yonhap
The two sides will hold discussions on five categories — goods, intellectual property rights, trade promotion, anti-corruption and cooperation.
China-Africa relations: Beijing says it will help pay for world’s largest free-trade zone
16-Nov-2020 South China Morning Post
China will provide ‘cash assistance and capacity-building training’ for the African Continental Free-Trade Area, which spans 55 nations with a combined economy of US$3.4 trillion and 1.3 billion consumers, Chinese Foreign Minister says.
Women’s rights groups angered on decision to sign RCEP
15-Nov-2020 APWLD
Women’s movement from Asia and the Pacific is angered by the decision of ASEAN and its five trading partners to sign RCEP. The trade agreement will cover 30% of the world’s population and women farmers, women workers and women-led small enterprises will be the worst hit from this trade agreement.
RCEP: Asia-Pacific countries form world’s largest trading bloc
15-Nov-2020 BBC News
Fifteen countries have formed the world’s largest trading bloc, covering nearly a third of the global economy. The RCEP is made up of 10 Southeast Asian countries, as well as South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Modi calls for early review of free trade agreement
13-Nov-2020 The Hindu Business Line
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an early review of the ASEAN-India trade in goods agreement that has been pending for a long time at the virtual ASEAN-India Summit.
Fears world’s biggest trade deal could spark conflicts, hurt farmers
13-Nov-2020 Thomson Reuters Foundation News
An Asia-Pacific trade deal backed by China could hurt small scale farmers, cause more land conflicts, and leave workers in poorer nations without protection as they struggle to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, human rights groups said on Friday.
RCEP will impact the future of developing countries
13-Nov-2020 Indonesia for Global Justice
In a webinar held on 10th November, economic experts, business owners, civil society organisations and parliamentarians expressed their concerns about RCEP, a mega free trade agreement which is likely to be signed on November 15, 2020.
Women’s movement across Asia and the Pacific demand #NoRCEP
13-Nov-2020 APWLD
As the 10 ASEAN countries and their 5 trading partners get ready to sign the anti-people trade deal, the countries must conduct social and human rights impact analysis on RCEP before signing or ratifying it.