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US says reaches free trade deal with Colombia
27-Feb-2006 Reuters
The United States has reached a free trade deal with Colombia after nearly two years of talks, the US Trade Representative said on Monday.
Election pushes back Japan FTA
27-Feb-2006 Bangkok Post
Thailand and Japan have postponed off the signing of their bilateral trade pact earlier scheduled for April 3-4, pending the outcome of Thailand’s upcoming general election, a senior offcial said Monday.
Costa Rican presidential hopeful promises to obstruct Cafta
27-Feb-2006 FT
The leader of Costa Rica’s second largest political party has vowed to obstruct efforts to ratify a 2004 free trade agreement between Central America and the US.
S Korea’s Roh says FTA with US top priority
27-Feb-2006 AFX
President Roh Moo-Hyun said that reaching a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States will be the top priority for his government during his remaining tenure.
Roadmap for WTO negotiations on Art. XXIV GATT
27-Feb-2006
The WTO rules for bilateral agreements, set by Art. XXIV of GATT are currently under re-negotiation in the WTO. Below is an internal informal WTO discussion paper on these negotiations. This is an invitation to discuss this paper on the Forum of this website on "bilateralism".
IPO plans for state firms, FTAs face uncertain future as new election called
27-Feb-2006 The Nation
The dissolution of the House of Representatives has put the Thai government’s key economic policies - free-trade deals, the privatisation of state enterprises and investment in mega-projects - in limbo.
Cairo angered by US trade talks freeze
26-Feb-2006 FT
Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Egypt’s trade and industry minister, criticised Washington yesterday for mixing business with politics in its decision to freeze negotiations on a free trade agreement.
El Salvador: Free trade to begin in March
26-Feb-2006 Miami Herald
A free-trade agreement with El Salvador will take effect on March 1, the Bush administration announced, initially leaving behind five other Latin American nations that are supposed to be part of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.
SAARC countries signing bilateral, multilateral FTAs one after another
26-Feb-2006 The Independent
The South Asian economies including Bangladesh are becoming more and more regional trade-prone and they are going for bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) alongside regional arrangements like South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).
Guatemalans march against US FTA
25-Feb-2006 Prensa Latina
Hundreds of union members, farmers, women, indigenous and representatives of other Guatemalan sectors marched in front of the US Embassy Friday chanting "No to the TLC" (Spanish for FTA).
Japan and Chile agree to speed negotiations
25-Feb-2006 AP
Japanese and Chilean officials agreed to continue talks aimed at forging a free trade accord swiftly, government officials said Friday.
UNCTAD talks on trade remain inconclusive
25-Feb-2006 The Hindu
The UNCTAD negotiations held in Kochi to assess the impact of trade as per the WTO regime as well as the ASEAN FTA on the local agricultural and industrial sectors, elicited inadequate response from the stakeholders.
Tripping up TRIPs debates
24-Feb-2006 Tripping up TRIPs debates
Access to medicine is at the forefront of multilateral debates surrounding the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs). This paper argues that bilateralism allows the United States to circumvent these debates and to set standards that serve and protect the pharmaceutical industry.
US calls for more flexible currency regime in Malaysia
24-Feb-2006 Business Times
The US would like to see greater exchange rate flexibility in Malaysia, US Treasury Under Secretary Timothy Adams said yesterday.
American Ambassador: It’s no secret
24-Feb-2006 Bangkok Post
When the former head of the Thai negotiating team, Nitya Pibulsonggram, was asked why the Thai-US trade deals must be kept confidential, he told journalists that he was asked by the US negotiation team to initial the agreements, but that he refused to do so. We asked US Ambassador to Thailand Ralph Boyce some questions concerning the confidentiality of the Free Trade Agreement.
S. Korea to exclude rice, beef pacts from FTA talks with US
23-Feb-2006 Yonhap
South Korea’s agriculture minister said Thursday that the country will not include deals on the liberalization of rice and beef imports in the agenda of upcoming free trade talks with the United States.
US sugar producers support Peru agreement
23-Feb-2006 Brownfield
Here’s a switch. US sugar farmers are supporting a proposed US/Peru Free Trade Agreement. They’ve been solidly against FTAs in the past.
Mandelson calls for a new EU/Mercosur round of talks
23-Feb-2006 MercoPress
The European Union Trade Commissar Peter Mandelson said he was disappointed with the EU and Mercosur’s incapacity to reach a free trade agreement but nevertheless extended an invitation for another round of talks.
Cabinet approves signing of PTA with Chile
23-Feb-2006 The Hindu
The Union Cabinet today approved signing of Preferential Trade Agreement between India and Chile which will pave the way for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
US groups fear ports uproar may hurt UAE trade deal
23-Feb-2006 Reuters
US business leaders voiced worry on Wednesday that a congressional uproar over an Arab company’s takeover of operations at key US ports could slow proposed free trade pacts in the Middle East, particularly with the United Arab Emirates, where the company is based.