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US commerce secretary says time short for free-trade deal with SKorea
12-Dec-2006 IHT
The US commerce secretary warned Tuesday that time was running short to forge a free-trade agreement with South Korea, calling on Seoul to trim its list of dozens of products it claims are too sensitive to be included in the pact.
Trade bill for Haiti hailed as trigger for turning around its economy
12-Dec-2006 CNS
A trade preference bill included in one of the last bits of legislation passed before the end of the 109th congressional session Dec. 9 is being hailed as having the potential to help start a turnaround in the bedraggled economy of the Caribbean nation of Haiti.
Thai-Japan FTA an important test
12-Dec-2006 Nation
This week, the Thai Foreign Ministry is expected to ask the Cabinet to consider whether to approve the draft Thai-Japanese free trade agreement (FTA). Inevitably, questions will crop up regarding the legitimacy of an interim government and a non-elected people’s assembly to pass an international trade agreement.
US advises developing country FTA partners not to follow WHO IP plan
12-Dec-2006 IP Watch
Developing countries that have free trade agreements (FTAs) with the United States received an email in the form of a “démarche” from the US government before the 4-8 December 2006 meeting of the WHO Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights saying that it had become apparent that the WHO was trying to go beyond its competency and address issues which could have impact on the scope and effect of FTAs.
Ecuador rejects US free trade pact
11-Dec-2006 BusinessWeek
Ecuador’s President-elect Rafael Correa said Sunday that he will not sign a free trade agreement with the United States. "We don’t have a national currency, we have the dollar," he told Radioprogramas. "If as a result of the agreement, Peru and Colombia have a problem in the external sector, they reduce the currency’s value and correct the imbalance. Ecuador can’t do that and the consequences could be incalculable."
RP to pursue free-trade accord with US
11-Dec-2006 Manila Times
The Philippines and the United States have agreed to pursue talks for a comprehensive free-trade agreement (FTA) despite next year’s end to President Bush’s authority to fast track negotiations for any trade-related accord. "We don’t want to make the same issues like the JPEPA [Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement] so we are after an extensive and comprehensive consultation with all sectors,” Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila said.
Farmers demand EU deal
11-Dec-2006 The Standard
Flower exporters have asked the Kenyan government to ensure that it signs an agreement with the European Union (EU) before the General Elections next year.
China, EU striving to map out new pact
11-Dec-2006 Xinhua
China and the European Union are making efforts to map out a new agreement, aimed at nailing down their strategic partnership into legal framework amid ever stronger political and economic relations.
Ecuador’s president-elect rules out signing trade pact with US
11-Dec-2006 IHT
Ecuador’s President-elect Rafael Correa said Sunday that he will not sign a free trade agreement with the United States but will seek extended trade preferences under an anti-drug agreement.
Now oil-rich Libya to join Comesa FTA
11-Dec-2006 East African
Libya is to become the second North African country after Egypt to join the Free Trade Area of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa). The implication is that exports from this oil-rich country will now have duty-free access to 13 other Comesa member-states that have so far signed on to the Free Trade Area arrangement.
Free-trade bondage in Jordan
9-Dec-2006 Middle East Online
The Jordan-United States free-trade agreement was supposed to be a labor-rights model. It has been a disaster — ’globalization’ at its worst.
ASEAN economic ministers rush signing of 6 accords
9-Dec-2006 Manila Bulletin
Economic Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) rushed on Friday night the signing of six agreements including two protocols to the ASEAN-China FTA. The agreement on trade and services with China was left unsigned.
US Congress backs Vietnam trade
9-Dec-2006 BBC
The United States Congress has passed landmark legislation normalising trade ties with Vietnam. The trade vote package also expanded trade relations with Haiti, and tweaked Washington’s trade preferences with several states in Latin America and beyond.
S Korea, US finish latest trade talks amid no progress in key areas
9-Dec-2006 Yonhap
South Korea and the US failed to resolve differences in most sensitive areas such as antidumping laws, autos and pharmaceuticals, both sides said.
Scaling the Andes for free trade
9-Dec-2006 The Age
Another day, another free trade negotiation. Two days after announcing a study into a free trade agreement with South Korea, Trade Minister Warren Truss revealed Australia will start negotiating an FTA with Chile.
Free trade pacts now in fashion
9-Dec-2006 The Telegraph
The Gulf nations and Japan are the next in line for free trade agreements (FTAs) with India.
EU ’strongly committed’ to Mediterranean agriculture
8-Dec-2006 Food Navigator
The EU has sought to ease frustrations that agricultural trade within the Mediterranean region has not advanced as quickly as hoped.
South American summit dreams of uniting continent’s governments, people
8-Dec-2006 IHT
Hopes for a continentwide trading community and a celebration of the region’s populist movements will highlight a two-day summit of South American leaders hosted by Bolivian President Evo Morales.
Japan, China, S Korea to negotiate investment pact from 2007
8-Dec-2006 Black Enterprise
Japan, China and South Korea have decided to start negotiations in 2007 with the aim of concluding a tripartite investment treaty, it was learned Thursday.
EC to negotiate Association Agreements with Andean Community and Central America
8-Dec-2006 FreshPlaza
The EU Commission notified its intention to begin negotiations for Association Agreements in the first quarter of 2007, which would gradually become free trade agreements with the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) and Central American countries (Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala). However, this process could be broken because of the new demands on part of Ecuador before the WTO.