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Keidanren chief calls for Japan-EU free trade pact
The head of Japan’s largest big-business group urged the government Monday to strike a free trade agreement with the European Union to alleviate impediments to two-way trade and ensure a freer flow of invesment funds.
S. Korean business group calls on gov’t to swiftly start free trade talks with Australia
South Korea’s top business organization on Monday urged the government to swiftly start free trade talks with Australia, saying a deal would be in the interest of both sides.
Mexican workers call for a continental workers’ campaign for living wages and social justice
A coalition of Mexican unions has now proposed a strategy of struggle that could open up the door to a more class-wide and continental approach to union and workers’ struggles, starting in the three NAFTA countries.
Pakistan’s free trade ambitions threatened
One of the key impediments to Pakistan’s ability to become a robust performer in free trade tie-ups with a growing number of countries is the country’s worsening internal political environment. As someone said once, investors are like pigeons. They come one by one but all fly together when the going gets rough.
Trade future isn’t rosy in Ecuador
Washington might decide this summer not to renew the trade benefits that allow Ecuador to sell roses and other items duty-free to the United States. As many as 250,000 jobs are at risk in Ecuador’s flower industry alone.
New Thai trade talks ’needed’
A proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bahrain and Thailand has stalled because of the intervention of other GCC countries, officials confirmed yesterday.
The unanimous opinion
We are witnessing, on the hemispheric and Latin American scene, a growing insurgency regarding the predominance of neoliberalism.
Namibia: ’Half cooked’ opinion piece upsets meat industry
An opinion piece by Meatco’s market researcher and trade advisor about the on-going Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations between the European Union and SADC had the meat industry crying foul last week and saying such views could throw the industry into jeopardy.
Africa’s largest trade bloc in final stages of forming customs union, says official
Africa’s largest trade bloc (COMESA) is in the final stages of setting up a customs union after completing work on tariffs to charge on goods imported from outside the group.
Starving the poor
The connection between instability in the Middle East and the cost of feeding a family in the Americas isn’t direct, of course. But as with all international trade, power tilts the balance.
FDCL alert: European free trade onslaught in Latin America
European Union endorses highly dangerous negotiation mandates for free trade areas with Central America and the Andean Community
Pak-US investment treaty in doldrums
The proposed Pak-US Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) is in the doldrums as the two sides have differences in certain areas and are showing no flexibility in their stances.
The ultimate risks of water privatization
MNCs can always refer to Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) to which Indonesia is a party and use the "umbrella clause" in the BIT to transform a problem that was originally a contractual dispute into an international investment dispute.
India looks for key to Nafta in Mexico
India is all set to sign a bilateral investment protection agreement (BIPA) with Mexico on May 21. This will be first such agreement with a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta).
China, Peru to establish free trade zone
China and Peru launched the first joint feasibility study in Beijing on building a free trade zone in the past two days, and pledged to conclude the study within three months, said Wang Xinpei, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday.
Asian bloc hopes new deal with Canada could lead to free trade pact
Vietnam’s assistant foreign affairs minister says Canada and members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) are "optimistic" about a free trade agreement, but doesn’t want to speculate as to when such a deal would come to fruition.
Important challenges face Asian FTAs
Asian economic regionalism, driven by active FTAs, reached a decisive point recently as China, South Korea, Japan and ASEAN countries compromised on the plan for financial reserves to put the possible financial crisis under control.
SKorea official warns FTA with US could collapse
A senior South Korean official warned Wednesday that the free trade deal with the United States could collapse if Washington "unilaterally" urges Seoul to revise it to reflect new US policy guidelines.