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Signing of FTA is like policy corruption, NGOs tell govt
A group of Thai non-governmental organisations led by FTA Watch yesterday launched a campaign against the Surayud government over its plan to sign a free-trade pact with Japan tomorrow. The Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement will cause tremendous damage to a massive number of farmers and allow a foreign country to take over the country’s biological resources, while only a few exporters would benefit, they said.
South Korea-US FTA talks go past extended deadline to salvage deal
Top-level officials from South Korea and the United States struggled Monday to come up with major compromises in their final stage of negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement (FTA), with the deadline for the talks extended for the second time in two days.
S Korean man attempts self-immolation against FTA with US
A South Korean man set himself afire on Sunday to dramatize his opposition to a proposed free trade agreement between his country and the United States, as negotiations were coming to a close, with an extended deadline only hours away. The 56-year-old taxi driver, identified only by his surname Heo, was in serious condition at a hospital after the protest 20 meters from the front gate of a heavily guarded Seoul hotel where the final talks were under way.
Activists celebrate as Malaysia-US FTA deadline expires
Malaysian opponents of a free-trade deal with the United States celebrated Saturday after the countries missed an end-of-the-month deadline to fast-track an agreement.
ASEAN urges India to widen market
In ongoing trade negotiations, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) urged India to open its import market to additional key commodities, a senior Thai Commerce Ministry official reports.
South Africa, India and Brazil - the IBSA FTA
Following a comprehensive examination of the most recent merchandise trade flows between the relevant countries this paper looks at the possible economic results from removing all merchandise tariff barriers between the three partners of India, Brazil and South Africa/SACU.
Letter from Japanese farmers to Prime Minister of Thailand
From our standpoint, upcoming Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Thailand and Japan involves big problems which will bring misery of people in both countries.
Businesses back trade pact
Thailand’s powerful business groups have thrown their full support behind government plans to sign a free trade agreement with Japan, believing the deal will increase exports to Japan by more than US$1 billion in the first year alone.
Negotiators extend deadline for South Korea trade pact
United States and South Korean negotiators on Friday extended a deadline to reach a free-trade agreement, as Washington struggled to complete a deal that could be used as a model for other Asian countries.
Peru, China interested in bilateral FTA
President of Peru Alan Garcia and member of the Permanent Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, Li Changchun, confirmed on Friday the common interest to negotiate a bilateral free trade agreement.
Vietnam, Chile begin free trade talks
Vietnam and Chile have launched negotiations on a free trade agreement, the Chilean Ambassador to Vietnam said Thursday, forecasting a deal may be reached soon.
EU pledges aid, advice to Saarc, Safta
The European Commission (EC) has offered to share expertise and experience in all areas of interest to South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) as well as in the implementation of the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (Safta).
Bush notifies Congress of plans to sign Panama free trade deal
President George W. Bush notified Congress on Friday that he plans to sign a free trade agreement with Panama.
Taiwan confident of winning FTA support
Pointing out that few problems exist in business and trade exchanges between Taiwan and the United States, a Taiwan economics official said Thursday that he is confident Taiwan will win the U.S. private sector’s support for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Ex-USTR negotiator Vargo key in CAFTA case
Pittsburgh-based Railroad Development Corporation (RDC) has hired former US trade agreement negotiator, Regina Vargo, and filed suit against the Guatemalan government under the investor-state provisions within Chapter 10 of CAFTA.
’Jamu’ makers get ready for AFTA by standardising products
‘Jamu’ or medicinal herb tonic producers in the Southeast Asian (SEA) region are making efforts to standardize their commodities in the face of the advent of the Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA), an Indonesian jamu businessman said.
Private sector fully supports signing of Japan-Thailand FTA
The Joint Private-Sector Committee has supported the government’s decision to sign the Japan and Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA), saying Thailand would lose a market share in Japan if the signing was cancelled or postponed.
Pakistan, Thailand to establish stronger trade links
Pakistan and Thailand will establish a joint bank and trade centre to promote bilateral trade and investment, said Punjab Trade & Investment minister here Friday.
US, S Korea trade talks stumble at last minute
Trade talks between the United States and South Korea stumbled on Friday just hours before a deadline, with the White House saying they could fail.
World Bank for Sino-India FTA
Trade within South Asia can be more than doubled if appropriate regional agreements on roads, rail, air, and shipping are put in place. A comprehensive report prepared by the World Bank ahead of the Saarc Heads of State Summit in New Delhi on April 3 to 4 has suggested that the instrumentality of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) be deployed not in promoting South Asia Free Trade Agreement (Safta) but project by project cooperation in areas of mutual interest.