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Patently unfair: Can waivers help solve COVID vaccine inequality?
3-Mar-2021 Aljazeera
The WTO General Council gathered virtually on Monday for the first of two days of talks amid increasing calls from civil society, states and nongovernmental actors to temporarily waive patents for COVID-19 vaccines and other coronavirus-related medical products.
Palm oil in focus as Swiss vote on trade pact with Indonesia
2-Mar-2021 Reuters
Swiss voters will decide on a free trade agreement with Indonesia on Sunday, with lower tariffs on palm oil imports the main issue in what the polls predict will be a tight referendum.
EAC secures unlimited access to Kenya-UK trade deal
2-Mar-2021 The East African
East African Community (EAC) member states have secured an open-ended time frame to access the trade agreement signed between Kenya and the United Kingdom.
Kenyan small scale farmers sue government over UK trade pact
2-Mar-2021 The Star
Kenya small scale farmers are seeking to stop the government from entering into a trade pact with UK, claiming that the deal will hurt the rural farmers as their products will have to compete with those from UK.
CEPA Review: India wants pact revision; Japan proposes corrections within existing framework
1-Mar-2021 The HIndu Business Line
India has sought a review of the India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to improve market access for Indian goods and check the growing bilateral trade imbalance.
Kosarac-Pakdemirli: BiH-Turkey Free Trade Agreement to be ratified in March
1-Mar-2021 Sarajevo Times
The Turkish parliament should ratify the Bosnia-Herzegovina-Turkey Free Trade Agreement by March 16.
China-EU agreement on geographical indications takes effect
1-Mar-2021 Xinhua
GI is a label used for identifying the geographical origin of a product, and is an important type of intellectual property right.
Brazil again pushes for loosening of Mercosur trade deal rules
1-Mar-2021 Buenos Aires Times
Brazil wants to alter the rules of the Mercosur trade bloc to make it more flexible, so that each country can independently negotiate trade agreements with other nations.
Government seeks renegotiation of BIT Treaty with Spain
1-Mar-2021 GhanaWeb
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs minister-designate has sought for a renegotiation of the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) signed between Ghana and Spain.
Western Sahara returns to European Court of Justice
1-Mar-2021 France 24
The European Court of Justice is next week to discuss EU-Morocco accords allowing Rabat to export goods from Western Sahara that are contested by the pro-independence Polisario Front.
India considers long-term economic ties with the Philippines, to boost Indo-Pacific initiative
1-Mar-2021 The Print
In an effort to reduce China’s influence in ASEAN’s third-largest economy, the Modi government is planning to make rapid inroads in the Philippines.
Switzerland commits $65 million in development aid to Indonesia
26-Feb-2021 Swiss Info
The Swiss government has allocated grant funding of $65 million over a period of four years to the island nation, in order to promote inclusive and sustainable development.
China plans mega transport network to boost trade, economic growth
26-Feb-2021 Global Times
China’s plan to build a global rapid logistics circle for goods by 2035, which will likely boost China’s trade with major economies in the EU and Asia.
Biden trade pick says China must deliver on phase-one pact
26-Feb-2021 Bloomberg
Tai called on China to live up to the commitments in its trade pact with the US and wants to accomplish similar goals as her predecessor but in a more process-driven manner.
Draft unified agreement for the investment of Arab capital in the Arab states (amended, Jan 2013)
25-Feb-2021 UNCTAD
Talks begins for Iran-EEU free trade
25-Feb-2021 Mehr
Iran and Eurasian Economic Union are holding talks on abolishing customs duties to reach free trade with zero tariffs, after a three-year provisional agreement that was signed in 2018.
US trade nominee says Mexico-Canada pact is priority
25-Feb-2021 UrduPoint
US trade representative nominee Katherine Tai has said implementing the new free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico will be a priority.
S. Korea-Central America FTA set for full implementation in March
25-Feb-2021 Yonhap News Agency
South Korea said its free trade agreement (FTA) with a group of Central American nations will be fully implemented starting next month as Panama completed its domestic procedures.
Intellectual property and COVID-19 medicines: why a WTO waiver may not be enough
25-Feb-2021 The Conversation
The COVID-19 pandemic, and the race to make vaccines and other useful technologies more accessible to people around the world, has once again highlighted the tension between intellectual property rights and the promotion of public health.
UK-Kenya trade agreement may threaten regional integration
24-Feb-2021 The Maritime Executive
The United Kingdom (UK) parliament has warned that the British government’s new bilateral trade agreement with Kenya could undermine the East Africa Community (EAC) regional integration initiative.