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Chinese food makes Thais uneasy
9-Feb-2006
A free-trade agreement (FTA) that Thailand signed with China a little over two years ago has begun to worry politicians and academics, who say it has proved disastrous for the Southeast Asian country’s farmers.
Asia risks spaghetti bowl trade deal mess: ADB
9-Feb-2006
A proliferation of bilateral free trade deals in Asia risks creating a "spaghetti bowl" of overlapping measures that could actually harm companies, the head of the Asia Development Bank (ADB) said today.
US delivers studies on six strategic economic sectors for FTA
9-Feb-2006
United States ambassador to the country, Hans Hertell, handed over to Industry and Commerce minister Francisco Javier Garcia, six studies that focus on strengthening competitiveness of equal number of productive sectors, with a view on the Free Trade Agreement. “I am here to deliver these six studies by sector, which describe new and ample opportunities,” said Hertell.
Bogota Mayor: People Should Settle FTA
9-Feb-2006
Bogota Mayor Luis Eduardo Garzon insisted Thursday on a referendum to finally resolve the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Washington because of its upshots in the Colombian people.
Don’t rush to sign FTA, Nesac warns
9-Feb-2006
The National Economic and Social Advisory Council yesterday warned the prime minister not to let the immediate gains from opening trades with the US blind him to the latent risks of rushing into an economic partnership.
Korea to Have Strong Say at FTA Talks With US: MOFE
9-Feb-2006
Vice Finance and Economy Minister Kwon Tae-shin Thursday said Korea shouldn’t be shy at the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiation table with the United States.
FTA Watch adamant Thailand-US FTA must be stopped
9-Feb-2006 FTA Watch
On 7 February 2006, the FTA Watch warned about the catastrophe that would arise from the US’s FTA proposal to Thailand on Intellectual Property Rights which was submitted in the sixth round of negotiations.
Obhrai wants free trade pact
9-Feb-2006 Indo-Asian News Service
Indo-Canadian MP Deepak Obhrai, newly named parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, has said he will push for a free trade agreement between India and Canada.
US rejects free trade in Kaesong products
9-Feb-2006 JoongAng Daily
A US official said yesterday that Washington would not consider goods manufactured at an industrial park in the North Korean border city of Kaesong as South Korean products in its free-trade negotiations with Seoul.
Mexico-EU: Not everyone happy with results of free trade treaty
9-Feb-2006 IPS
Five and a half years after the implementation of the Mexico-European Union free trade agreement, the first such accord between Europe and a country in Latin America, the partners tout its success, while social activists complain that it has failed to deliver on its promises.
S. Korea halts film making to protest US trade deal
9-Feb-2006 Washington Post
South Korea’s movie industry ground to a halt on Wednesday, as dozens of stars and hundreds of film workers protested against a government move to cut protection for the industry to smooth free trade talks with the United States.
Japan hopes for free trade talks with India by summer
9-Feb-2006 AFP
Japan hopes to open talks with India by this summer on a free-trade agreement, which would open the way for Asia’s largest economy to invest more in the emerging giant, an official said Wednesday.
US wants more concessions on beef imports: Official
9-Feb-2006 Chosunilbo
The US will push Korea for further negotiations on resuming imports of US beef with parts attached to the bone included, an official with the US Embassy in Korea said Wednesday. This January, the Korean government partly lifted the ban to ease the way for free-trade talks.
Ecuador students join anti-FTA protests
9-Feb-2006 Prensa Latina
University students are taking to the streets Wednesday to demand expiration of the contract with Oxy US oil company and spurn the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Washington.
FTA vital for East Asia says ADB
9-Feb-2006 Gulf Daily News
East Asia should set up a unified region-wide free trade pact to help boost trade and investment and further promote regional economic integration, the president of the Asian Development Bank said yesterday.
Israel, Hungary sign economic cooperation agreement
9-Feb-2006 Globes
Israel and Hungary have signed an economic cooperation agreement and a statement of intent on cooperation in R&D.
India, Serbia-Montenegro signs economic cooperation pact
9-Feb-2006 PTI News
India and Serbia & Montenegro today signed a ’Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement’, which includes grant of ’Most Favoured Nation’ treatment in trade of goods and services and setting up of a Joint Economic Committee to explore new areas for bilateral trade.
Kuwaiti delegation kicks off expert-level trade talks with US counterpart
9-Feb-2006 MENAFN
The Kuwaiti Ambassador praised the level of trade relations between Kuwait and the United States, which is considered Kuwait’s largest trade partner, and expressed Kuwait’s hope that the ongoing trade negotiations would lead to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
‘Secret’ FTA details on the Net
8-Feb-2006
Details of US proposals in free-trade talks with Thailand - perceived by many Thais as “forbidden information” the government has tried to cover up - were recently posted for all to see in cyberspace. Witoon Leanchamroon, director of BioThai, a non-government organisation working for bio-diversity and community rights, said at a press conference yesterday he had been told a group of Americans involved in public health issues had posted a full text of the patent chapter from the Thai-US free trade talks at www.bilaterals.org.
Canada’s hidden free-trade deal
8-Feb-2006
In Central America, the CAFTA debate led to massive protests. Meanwhile, here in Canada, our government is quietly negotiating much the same sort of agreement which calls for the free flow of investment and presumably the removal of tariffs and agricultural safeguards.