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Talks begins for Iran-EEU free trade
Iran and Eurasian Economic Union are holding talks on abolishing customs duties to reach free trade with zero tariffs, after a three-year provisional agreement that was signed in 2018.
US trade nominee says Mexico-Canada pact is priority
US trade representative nominee Katherine Tai has said implementing the new free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico will be a priority.
S. Korea-Central America FTA set for full implementation in March
South Korea said its free trade agreement (FTA) with a group of Central American nations will be fully implemented starting next month as Panama completed its domestic procedures.
Intellectual property and COVID-19 medicines: why a WTO waiver may not be enough
The COVID-19 pandemic, and the race to make vaccines and other useful technologies more accessible to people around the world, has once again highlighted the tension between intellectual property rights and the promotion of public health.
UK-Kenya trade agreement may threaten regional integration
The United Kingdom (UK) parliament has warned that the British government’s new bilateral trade agreement with Kenya could undermine the East Africa Community (EAC) regional integration initiative.
Private sector firms join push for AfCFTA agenda
Private sector lobbies in Africa’s six regional trading blocs have formed the African Business Council, a continental umbrella body to spearhead the business agenda for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
New deadline set for ratification of Tripartite Free Trade Area
Ministers from the tripartite group of regional economic communities in eastern and southern Africa have set June 2021 as the deadline to achieve the threshold of 14 ratifications required to enable the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) enter into force.
Kenya Miraa trade: Britain bilateral and multilateral agreements disclosure
Kenyan organisations raise concerns over Miraa trade and call for an intervention of the Ministry of Agriculture to publish and review all trade agreements between Kenya and Britain.
Why Gadhafi’s private jet is gathering dust on a French airfield
An aribtral tribunal ordered Libya to pay the Al Kharafi Group $930 million in damages. The Al Kharafi Group sued the Libyan state in France too, so when Gadhafi’s A340 landed in France, they sought to have it impounded.
Pakistan says expects free-trade talks with Gulf countries by June
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has reached out to Pakistani authorities to resume negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) by June this year, a top Pakistani diplomat in Riyadh said.
UK-Japan trade deal settled nerves for Japanese firms, Honda executive says
Britain’s trade deal with Japan settled the nerves of a lot of Japanese businesses in the United Kingdom and gives them confidence about their future prospects there, a senior Honda executive said.
World Bank body dismisses Agility’s claims against Iraq
Kuwaiti logistics company Agility’s claim to recover more than $380 million it said it lost in Iraq has been rejected by an international tribunal.
Kerala: Farmers demand that Centre withdraws from ASEAN agreement
Farmers from Kerala marched to the regional office of the Rubber Board, demanding that the Centre withdraw from the ASEAN free trade agreement.
Japan cabinet endorses RCEP free trade deal
The Japanese government adopted at a cabinet meeting Wednesday a plan to approve a deal to forge the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which was agreed on by Japan and 14 other nations in November last year.
Mustaqeem de Gama, South African Mission in Geneva: “It is a bad idea for any African country to consider signing the Energy Charter Treaty”
Joining the Energy Charter Treaty is not in the public interest, according to South Africa’s government. It has also cancelled other agreements that allowed foreign investors to sue their state. This has not stopped investors from coming, says Mustaqeem de Gama.
Take action to end the climate-killing Energy Charter Treaty
Sign the petition to pull out of the Energy Charter Treaty and stop its expansion to other countries!
How Energy Treaty ’shadow’ courts prolong EU’s fossil age
The treaty enables companies to claim billions in compensation from states in front of international arbitration tribunals, if they feel unfairly treated by the states’ energy or climate policies.
India, Mauritius sign economic partnership deal
The trade deal would provide a gateway to the markets of the African continent as Mauritius has several pacts with them
Are the sustainability criteria in the Swiss trade deal with Indonesia toothless?
A free trade agreement with Indonesia has sparked backlash and Switzerland’s first national referendum on palm oil imports. On the eve of the vote to take place March 7, SWI swissinfo.ch fact checks claims on sustainability.