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Facts and evidences on the 10 burning issues related to the government use of patents on three patented essential drugs in Thailand
The recent decisions of the Thai Ministry of Public Health to announce the Government Use of Patents on three patented drugs, i.e., Efavirenz (Stocrin®) of Merck Sharp and Dohme), Lopinavir+Ritonavir (Kaletra®) of Abbott Laboratory) and Clopidogrel (Plavix®) of Sanofi-Aventis), based on proposals from the National Health Security Office, have raised several questions among the public and also the concerned partners as well as the pharmaceutical industries, both in the country and internationally.
’America open to FTA with India’
The US is open to a Free Trade Agreement with India but wants bilateral economic engagement to increase further, a senior US government official said.
NMA seeks fair trade within Sacu
The Namibian Manufacturers’ Association (NMA) has spoken out against competition issues and unfair trade practices in the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu).
Lawmaker rejects USTR proposal on trade pacts
A Bush administration proposal aimed at winning Democratic party support for free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia and Panama falls short of what is needed to strengthen the labor provisions of those pacts, a Democratic lawmaker said on Monday.
Salvador-US FTA Is Unsuccessful
The results of the free trade agreement between El Salvador and the United States are disappointing because at the end of 2006, export operations only grew 3.5 percent, economist Evelio Jesus Ruano adjudged on Monday.
S. Korea, U.S. make no headway at agriculture FTA talks
South Korea and the United States made no headway in high-level talks to resolve outstanding agricultural issues that have been a sticking point in bilateral free trade negotiations, the government said Tuesday.
China-Hong Kong: Scope of trade pact to expand
Mainland China will expand the scope of a free trade pact with Hong Kong in the coming months to open up services trade and facilitate investment.
Lawmaker rejects USTR proposal on trade pacts
A Bush administration proposal aimed at winning Democratic party support for free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia and Panama falls short of what is needed to strengthen the labor provisions of those pacts, a Democratic lawmaker said on Monday. It "misses the point" and shifts the focus from improving conditions for workers to a legalistic debate over whether a foreign country’s law are equivalent to those of the United States, he said.
Central African free trade en route
Four of the six member states of CEMAC — Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville — this weekend decided to fast-track plans to establish a regional free trade zone.
Talks on Pak-US BIT likely to continue in 2007: US report
The United States has said that a small but significant number of differences are persisting on issues of considerable importance to the US in the proposed Pak-US Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), however, this indicates that discussion on the treaty are expected to continue in 2007.
ASEAN trade talks in Wellington
The eighth round of trade talks between New Zealand, Australia and 10 Southeast Asian countries begins in Wellington on Tuesday as negotiators try to reach a deal by the end of the year.
Light shed on EP Agreements
Issues on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and African-Caribbean-Pacific States were discussed on Wednesday at a one-day seminar held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.
Steel tops debate on Japan deal
The pending Thai-Japanese free trade agreement will become a catalyst for Thailand’s steel industry to deal with heavier competition, according to local experts.
Gulf expects EU trade deal by June
Gulf Arab states and the European Union are likely to finalise a free trade deal by June, the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council said on Monday.
Cabinet to state its stand on M’sia-US FTA issue
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry would be presenting to the Cabinet this Wednesday the stand taken by all the respective ministries and agencies involved in the Malaysia-US Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
Free trade deal on tap
The Caribbean Community intends to negotiate a free trade agreement with Central America perhaps within the next six months, the organization’s top official says.
Israel to attempt upgrade its EU status
Israel is examining the idea of upgrading its relations with the European Union and gaining the status of Norway and Switzerland, which although not members of the EU have free passage for people, capital and merchandise between them and the rest of the EU countries.
Don’t repeat NAFTA disaster, trade experts warn
The North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, has been a disaster for workers and families, and even social institutions, in the three participating nations — the United States, Canada and Mexico — labor experts from the three countries told Congress. Not only that, they warned that the pending US-Korea Free Trade Agreement would be a repeat of that NAFTA fiasco.
Out of the cage: FTA must promote fair, not free trade
I was travelling in the northern regions recently and casually asked Haji Manaf, a padi farmer and Umno stalwart in his late 50s, if he had heard of the Malaysia-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which is currently being negotiated. He said he had read about it in the Malay newspapers but really didn’t understand what it was all about.
Thai-Japanese FTA negotiations: Toxic waste annex to be tabled in Tokyo
A one-page annex will be added to the Thai-Japan free trade agreement to ensure the trade pact will not overrule the international agreement on transboundary movement of hazardous waste. The inclusion of the annex, however, was criticised by the FTA opponents.