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11-Apr-2006
IPS
A proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the ten-nation Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has hit a major roadblock with India’s agriculture ministry objecting to the inclusion of commodities like pepper, rubber, palm oil, coffee and tea in an ambitious tariff liberalisation programme.
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10-Apr-2006
Asean has told New Zealand, whose big dairy and meat product trade to the regional grouping has slowed in recent years, that it risks losing market share to newer competitors muscling their way into the area unless its exporters turn more creative and move quickly to meet changing regional consumer needs.
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10-Apr-2006
Thai business leaders have welcomed a Japanese proposal to create an East Asian Free Trade zone to integrate economies in the region, but they were sceptical about whether Japan would liberalise its sensitive agricultural sector. If Japan’s idea comes true, they said, it would help countries in the region overcome the ’’spaghetti bowl’’ effect of proliferating bilateral free trade agreements with different trade rules.
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10-Apr-2006
The governments of Tanzania and the Comoros have signed a trade agreement to facilitate economic development in the two countries.
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10-Apr-2006
As a consequence of the furore by the US congress over DP World’s acquisition of several American ports, the Dubai state-owned company decided to avert a long legal battle and agreed to put these assets up for sale.
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10-Apr-2006
New Zealand will probably end up dealing with 10 schedules for the gradual phase-out of tariffs, one for each of the Asean countries.
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10-Apr-2006
Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and Moldavia are expected to become a unique free trade zone by the end of 2007.
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10-Apr-2006
A state-run research center said Monday that some of the countries that signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States have lost their export competitiveness.
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10-Apr-2006
Japan’s proposed Asian regional free trade agreement got tepid support today from Trade Minister Phil Goff, who told the Gateway to Asean Summit in Auckland that the plan was "consistent" with other activities already well underway.
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10-Apr-2006
Indo-Asian News Service
’A free trade agreement with China will be suicidal,’ Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said Monday.
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10-Apr-2006
Chosun Ilbo
The Korean government is reportedly considering setting up a special public relations office just to deal with opposition to the FTA. That opposition is expected to intensify after the upcoming local elections and probably right up to the US-proposed deadline for negotiations in March 2007. In the process, it could also spill over into intense social conflict in Korea.
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10-Apr-2006
Caribbean Net News
A round table discussion held in Barbados on April 3rd and 4th between CARICOM sugar producing countries and the European Union appeared to achieve the exact opposite of what it intended.
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10-Apr-2006
Chosun Ilbo
The IT labor union, part of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, has announced its plans to paralyze the homepages of the U.S. Department of Defense, the Whitehouse and President George Bush, by sending a flood of some 30,000 e-mails at 6pm on Tuesday 11 April.
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10-Apr-2006
Korea Times
It is Korea’s livestock industries, not the rice market, which are feared would be hit the hardest by the FTA.
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10-Apr-2006
OWINFS
Out of the blue, FTA is suddenly on our face. One day the news of the treaty covers the front page of most media. The US demanded the Korean agriculture market to be opened with no exception. They also called for scaling down the screen quota in half. Korean people are flabbergasted with the pouring news. Let’s look into what is unfolding.
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10-Apr-2006
Korea Times
Talks for a free trade deal between Seoul and Washington seem to be running into a snag as some political leaders within South Korea’s ruling camp are raising voices on the need to "slow down" on it.
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10-Apr-2006
ECDPM
The purpose of this study is to provide an overview and assessment of possible alternatives to EPAs in order to clarify the choice of alternative options that ACP countries have, to inform the policy debate and help increase the understanding of the different participants in the negotiations.
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10-Apr-2006
Reuters
Japan’s farm minister expressed scepticism toward the idea of a free trade pact with China, while its foreign minister said on Friday the two economic giants should avoid jockeying for power in the region.
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10-Apr-2006
Chosunilbo
Beware of the dragonfly: it may be a bugging robot disguised as a harmless insect. No, the advice does not come from a mental patient convinced the government is spying on his laundry bills: it was one of the security tips issued during last week’s two-day workshop for 120 Korean delegates in the nation’s impending free-trade negotiations with the US.
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10-Apr-2006
Daily Independent
A coalition of non-governmental organisations, opposed to the ongoing negotiation between European Union and African, Caribean and Pacific countries, under the Economic Partnership Agreement, has soften its stance on the discussion.
