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Political issues weigh on trade talks
9-Sep-2006
At issue are commodities as varied as rice, apparel and automobiles, as well as lucrative new markets in banking and other financial services, with potentially billions of dollars in commerce at stake. But for several countries negotiating trade pacts with the US, the outcome may have less to do with economics than with American election-year politics.
High noon for Korea’s NAFTA
9-Sep-2006 GNN
Underneath the radar of the mainstream media, the US and South Korea are negotiating a “free trade agreement” that, if signed, will be the largest such agreement since NAFTA was passed in 1994. Hence, it’s a massive issue for US and Korean workers, and has been arousing massive opposition.
South Africa: Trade Beat
9-Sep-2006
After a lull in the first half of the year, there appears to be movement on various fronts of SA’s trade agenda.
Pakistan, Mauritius to sign PTA in November
9-Sep-2006
Pakistan and Mauritius signed the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), Rule of Origin and Customs Cooperation agreements during the 5th session of their Joint Working Group on PTA to be held in Islamabad in November this year.
Korean filmmakers take center stage to bash trade talks
9-Sep-2006
Fresh from acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival for creating a South Korean "Jaws," the director Bong Joon Ho staged a lone protest outside the Culture Ministry in Seoul, shouting slogans and raising a red placard.
SADC’s free trade protocol difficult: researcher
9-Sep-2006
Brendan Vicas, a senior researcher at the Institute for Global Dialogue, has warned that SADC’s free trade protocol will be difficult to implement. SADC member states have again been urged to renounce their membership of other regional economic groupings.
All FTAs are not created equal
9-Sep-2006
Thai exporters and importers have benefited from the free-trade agreements with Australia and India but reaped fewer benefits from Asean’s FTA with China, according to a survey by the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).
No Korean auto pact: Ontario
9-Sep-2006
The Ontario government is demanding that Ottawa exclude the auto sector from free trade talks with Korea because of potential harm to the industry.
Official warns DR-CAFTA could displace thousands of local dairy farmers
9-Sep-2006
Approximately 58,000 small and medium-size milk cattle owners of 10 or less milk cows would be displaced from the Dominican market as the DR-CAFTA trade accord is implemented with Central America and the United States, according to Agriculture Planning deputy minister.
Japan, India to start EPA talks: official
9-Sep-2006
Japan expects to gain agreement from India by the end of this year to start talks on a bilateral economic partnership agreement, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday.
Medical workers may be losers in FTA
9-Sep-2006
Philippine officials may be upbeat about finalizing the bilateral free-trade agreement with Japan this weekend, but there is some concern that the country’s medical workers will be the losers in the deal.
Korean FTA negotiator under pressure
9-Sep-2006
It was 9:00 pm local time on the second day of the third round of Korea-US FTA talks.
Seattle protests against US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (PSL)
9-Sep-2006 Party for Socialism and Liberation
Two major coalitions have formed to oppose the KORUS FTA and organize protest activities during the negotiations: the Korean Alliance Against Korea-US FTA (KoA), based in South Korea, and Korean Americans Against War And Neoliberalism (KAWAN), based in the United States.
Bilateral Trade deal between Philippines and Japan should not be signed in Helsinki!
9-Sep-2006
Filipino and Japanese groups participating in the Asia Europe People’s Forum in Helsinki expressed their strong opposition to the reported plan of Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi and Philippine President Arroyo to finalize the deal over the contentious Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement on the sidelines of the Asia Europe Meeting in Helsinki next week.
Fighting FTAs: workshop summary report
8-Sep-2006
A summary report of the Fighting FTAs international strategy workshop (Bangkok, 27-29 July 2006)
Goff announces new free trade agreement negotiations
8-Sep-2006
Foreign Ministers from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states have agreed to commence negotiations for a free trade agreement with New Zealand, Trade Minister, Phil Goff announced today.
Free Trade would be launched in January to avoid jeopardizing agro
8-Sep-2006
The Dominican government will inform United States authorities as to how it prefers to handle export guidelines that are expected to enter the country en masse, should the DR-CAFTA be implemented before year’s end.
Chile to start free trade talks with Australia
8-Sep-2006
Chile plans to add Australia, Thailand and Malaysia to a growing list of free -trade partners as it pushes to become Asia’s gateway to Latin America, Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said on Thursday.
GMA, Koizumi to ink free trade agreement
8-Sep-2006
Japan has said it will sign a free-trade pact with the Philippines, ending prolonged negotiations that had stalled largely over how many Filipino nurses could come to work in the world’s second-largest economy.
Garments industry ’has to wait for gains’
8-Sep-2006
The garments industry may not see the benefits of the new Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US until early next year, said an industry leader.