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US rejects free trade in Kaesong products
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
EU-SA free trade agreement stalls
The free trade agreement reached between South Africa and the EU on automotive products in November last year has run into trouble and has not been implemented.
Bimstec free trade pact set to come into force in July
The BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) free trade agreement is expected to come into force from July 1 this year, the Bangladesh Parliament was told Sunday.
Costa Rica election another blow to US trade pact
A US free trade pact with Central America, already delayed by a legal wrangle, has run into further trouble at presidential elections in Costa Rica where voters punished the main pro-trade candidate.
Philippines: Exporters press free trade pacts
Exporters are pressing the government to pursue bilateral free trade arrangements to enable them to benefit from liberalization instead of waiting until 2013 for developed countries to lift their subsidies on agricultural exports.
S. Korea, India aim to sign free trade deal by end of 2007
South Korea and India announced Tuesday the start of negotiations aimed at signing a free trade deal by the end of next year, officials said.
EDITORIAL: Health at stake in free-trade talks
For the United States, intellectual property rights represent the single most valuable asset in light of the new reality of information-based economies and where they derive their national wealth. The supremacy of the US as a global power depends on how effective it is in acquiring and maintaining its ownership of knowledge assets.
Draft amendment to patent law a ’sell-out’
Opponents of a free trade area (FTA) agreement with the US have lashed out at the government’s proposed amendment of Thai patent law to facilitate the United States’ patenting of drugs and living organisms in Thailand. They fear it would lead to greater control of the country’s resources by American firms.
Sudan: Uganda losing out to FTA countries
Uganda is losing business in the Sudanese market because of its failure to ratify the Free Trade Area of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa).