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15-Jan-2025
NDTV Profit
India and Oman are in the fifth round of negotiations for a CEPA. While bilateral trade has recently declined, the agreement seeks to reduce or eliminate customs duties and ease trade norms to promote trade in goods, services, and investments. India already has a similar agreement with the UAE.
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15-Jan-2025
The National News
Malaysia and the UAE are strengthening their economic ties through a newly signed CEPA, which aims to boost trade and investment between the two nations. The CEPA is expected to further facilitate this growth by reducing tariffs and improving market access.
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14-Jan-2025
Khaosod
The Thailand-EFTA Free Trade Agreement, scheduled for January 23, 2025, will connect Thai businesses with four wealthy European markets – Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
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14-Jan-2025
New Zealand Government
New Zealand’s free trade deal and investment treaty with the United Arab Emirates have been signed.
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14-Jan-2025
CDR
The global beer brewing giant has filed an ICSID challenge to the Peruvian tax authority’s attempts to recover an outstanding tax bill and its refusal to allow refunds.
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13-Jan-2025
The Financial Express
Bangladesh has formed a high-powered working group to prepare for negotiations with Japan on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). This move follows a joint study and aims to secure duty-free market access to Japan after Bangladesh graduates from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026.
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10-Jan-2025
EFTA
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10-Jan-2025
Pearls and Irritations
Clive Palmer’s latest claims join a growing global list of ISDS claims by fossil fuel companies defined by the UN and the OECD as threats to the global climate transition.
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10-Jan-2025
Kazinform
Since the agreement comes into force, Singapore is to rescind all the existing tariffs on imports and will be obliged not to apply tariff and non-tariff trade restrictions.
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10-Jan-2025
Access to Medicines
FTA Watch representatives warned that stricter IP rules in a potential EU FTA could impact access to medicines, increase healthcare costs, and harm Thailand’s domestic pharmaceutical industry. They also highlighted concerns about EU demands regarding government procurement, plant variety protection (UPOV 1991), and import of remanufactured goods.
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9-Jan-2025
VOA
The southern African nation of Eswatini has secured continued eligibility for benefits under the US African Growth and Opportunity Act for the 39 companies currently trading under AGOA.
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9-Jan-2025
Daily Mirror
The Sri Lankan government will negotiate with the Indian government on how to rectify the concerns raised against the Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement while reviewing the Singapore Free Trade Agreement.
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9-Jan-2025
CDR
Minerali Industriali is taking action under the Italy-Tunisia bilateral investment treaty for alleged mistreatment related to its sand mining and processing business.
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9-Jan-2025
Korea Herald
South Korea and Pakistan have agreed to begin negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to increase bilateral trade. The EPA, announced during a meeting between trade ministers in Seoul, aims to create a beneficial trade network, focusing on areas like digital technology, IT, and the automobile sector.
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8-Jan-2025
Pattaya Mail
Key priorities include resuming negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement and strengthening collaboration in industries such as food, textiles, gems and jewelry, fisheries, and tourism.
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8-Jan-2025
Mint
The planned makeover of India’s 14-year-old goods trade pact with Asean may take longer than expected as members of New Delhi’s fourth largest trading partner press to negotiate tariffs individually.
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7-Jan-2025
Euronews
One of France’s largest farmers’ unions is seeking guarantees from the prime minister’s office that it will defend a form of agriculture focused on protecting small farmers, who say are being crushed by free trade.
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7-Jan-2025
Jakarta Globe
Indonesia has delayed the completion of its trade agreement with the European Union (EU), now aiming to conclude negotiations by mid-2025. While 85% of the agreement is reportedly finalized, disagreements on export/import restrictions and investment conditions remain. The EU’s concerns about Indonesian palm oil production, particularly related to deforestation, have also been a point of contention.
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7-Jan-2025
EU Observer
The EU desires open access to Indonesian nickel, crucial for its green transition, yet criticizes extractive practices in the Global South. Indonesia, however, seeks to develop its own processing industries and restrict raw material exports.
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7-Jan-2025
PortCalls
The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Tariff Commission (TC) have subsequently released implementing guidelines and updated their online tariff finder to reflect the new tariff schedules. Executive Order No. 80 formalizes the Philippines’ tariff commitments under the FTA, subjecting listed goods from South Korea to the specified import duties upon entry.
