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Anti-FTA voices slowly growing at the National Assembly
There are growing voices of opposition within the National Assembly to a free trade pact with the United States. On Friday, 38 legislators signed a statement saying the "best thing we can do at the current juncture is to immediately halt FTA negotiations that have hastily been pursued because the government is trying to meet the U.S.-set negotiation time limit."
Dominican Republic warned about lawsuit
Foreign energy investors said on Friday that they warned the Dominican Republic it had to mend its crippled power sector months before filing a US$680 million (euro510 million) lawsuit against the country for lost electricity revenue.
New $19B arbitration case threat to Turkish government from Dutch company on Telsim sale
Dutch investment company Saba Fakes, who claim to hold the biggest part of shares of Turkey’s second big GSM operator Telsim, is preparing to file an arbitration case at International Arbitration amounting to 19 billion dollars in reparations.
Agriculture sticking point in Japan, Australia free trade deal
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has come under increasing pressure from Japan’s farming sector not to sign a free trade deal involving agriculture with Australia.
Middle East moves towards VAT
The taxation environment in the GCC may be on the cusp of significant change.
The people have decided! The Cabinet is still pondering!
While a group of us were waiting anxiously at the entrance of Prime Minister’s office at about 8.45 am today, suddenly we heard a loud chanting in the air and then we realized about 500 over people were walking from the Putrajaya mosque towards where we are standing and made one full circle around the PM office before the crowd stopped at the front gate of the PM office.
Commission takes Finland to EU court over investment deals
The Finnish government said in a statement Wednesday that the European commission had brought legal action against Finland.
India: Study commissioned to rationalise rules of origins
A study has been commissioned by the government to rationalise various provisions in Rules of Origins (RoO) contained in many agreements
US negotiator says KORUS FTA can be concluded by deadline
The lead US negotiator on a free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea said Friday the two countries can meet the end-of-March deadline, although they "still have a long way to go."
Agriculture minister expresses opposition to US bone-in beef imports
In talks with a farmers’ group in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Park Hong-soo said beef must not be sacrificed for the sake of a possible free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
Chavez urges Jamaica to join FTAA ’alternative’
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has urged Jamaica to join the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) - widely viewed as a counter to the US-sponsored Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
DR-CAFTA opens way for PR trade, says Fernández
President Leonel Fernández has said that the entry into effect of the DR-CAFTA agreement between the Dominican Republic, Central America and the United States provides "a sea of opportunities" for trade, investment and business between the Dominican Republic and the neighboring island of Puerto Rico.
Labor rights in Guatemala aided little by trade deal
Day and night, workers at the port of Quetzal on Guatemala’s Pacific coast load fruit from surrounding plantations and clothing stitched in local factories onto freighters bound for Long Beach, Calif., a flow of goods that has swelled since a Central American trade agreement with the United States took force last year.
Extend deadline on partnership pact
Civil society groups and other stakeholders in West Africa’s development process have unanimously called on the European Union to extend the deadline for reaching a deal on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).
First review meeting of Pak-Sri Lanka FTA held
The first meeting of joint committee, of Pak-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement held here on Friday which reviewed the progress of the agreement. The joint committee was established under article 11 of Pak-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement.
S Korean trade minister defends FTA negotiations with US
South Korea’s trade minister on Friday defended his country’s negotiations with the United States for a free trade agreement, saying that he disagreed with some claims that Seoul is getting an unfair deal with Washington.
Lawmakers call for Gov’t to reconsider FTA with U.S.
As free trade talks with the United States near a conclusion, calls for reconsideration have intensified among liberal South Korean legislators Friday when they vowed to boycott the government’s "arrogant" push to sign a deal without public consensus.
38 lawmakers opposed to FTA with US
Thirty-eight lawmakers from five different political parties gathered Friday at the National Assembly to urge the government to scrap its negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
Costa Rica’s last stand: Widespread resistance halts implementation of CAFTA
While the passage of the Central American Free Trade Area (CAFTA in English, TLC in Spanish) is a distant memory in the public political debate, implementation of the treaty continues to meet organized, spirited opposition in Costa Rica. In the US, activists are standing in solidarity with continued opposition and resistance.
Japan accused of breaching toxic waste trade treaty
The Seattle-based Basel Action Network, BAN, has filed a formal complaint against Japan concerning what BAN calls Japan’s "intent to create toxic waste colonies around Asia" through bilateral trade agreements.