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Mercosur/EU talks depend on the Doha Round
As long as the Doha Round is pending, “significant advances” in negotiations with Mercosur for a free trade agreement will not be forthcoming anticipated on Friday the European Union External Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson.
EU tactics over African trade are ’bribery’, say aid groups
The European Union is insisting that some of Africa’s poorest countries accept liberalisation of services, investment and competition policy as the price of better access to the world’s richest market, it emerged last night.
US bilateral free trade agreements in Asia
In an effort to create more informed actions among groups working on food sovereignty and fairer trade rules in the region, the Asia Pacific Network for Food Sovereignty launched a research on US FTAs that looked at the common features of existing US FTAs and those that are being negotiated in the region like the US-Thailand FTA and analyzed their implications on developing countries’ agriculture particularly on small-scale farmers’ livelihoods; food security; farmers’ access to and control of their land, seed and productive resources; and rural development.
ALBA: Venezuela’s answer to free trade
The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) represents the first attempt at regional integration that is not based primarily on trade liberalization but on a new vision of social welfare and equity. This report provides a detailed account, and a critical assessment, of the ALBA project to date.
Oman-US free trade to begin in early 2007
The US-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to take effect in the first quarter of 2007, offering boundless bilateral trading opportunities, Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry, told the Sultanate’s corporate sector yesterday.
Japan parliament OKs Philippines free-trade pact
Japan’s parliament approved a free trade agreement with the Philippines on Wednesday, paving the way for the pact to take effect next spring, Kyodo News Service reports.
Fishers planning summit protest alarmed by security measures
Fisher folk groups are opposing the ASEAN’s Roadmap to Fisheries Integration, saying the facilitation of free trade of fisheries products without consideration for the biological limits to fisheries productivity would lead to overfishing and adversely affect artisanal fishers who could not compete with commercial fishing fleets.
Shrimpers cry foul over new Australia ban
Thai shrimpers yesterday submitted a letter to protest against Australia’s ban on shrimp imports even before its import risk analysis is completed. Viewing the move as unfair, Thai officials will also discuss the issue at a forum on the Thailand-Australia free trade agreement next week.
Central America & Andean Community: Commission proposes negotiating directives for Association Agreements
The Agreements will set out the conditions for the gradual establishment of Free Trade Area between the EU and the two regions, and develop both intra- and bi-regional trade exchanges.
Slim chance for Dominicans to enter DR-CAFTA in January
There is little probability that the Dominican Republic will enter the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the United States next January, as scheduled, because at least seven legislative pieces are still pending approval.
UAE and Egypt aim to increase trade
"We do not need a free trade agreement with the UAE as there is already the Pan-Arab Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA), which we will implement," Prime Minister Dr Nadeef said. PAFTA is an agreement to establish a pan-Arab free trade area by 2008.
Police counter anti-FTA protests
The Korean government mobilized 45,000 riot police yesterday to thwart banned protests as crucial talks on forging a free trade agreement with the United States faltered. But 20,000 people managed to take part in street demonstrations in Seoul and nine other places.
Chief US negotiator likens South Korean-US trade process to dating
Wendy Cutler, the chief negotiator of a proposed free trade agreement with South Korea, told an audience at Montana State University Tuesday that the process is much like dating — both countries were ready to find out how compatible they could be on trade issues.
Workers protest US, S Korea FTA
Thousands of farmers and factory workers took to the streets of Seoul on Wednesday to protest against a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the US.
S. Korean prime minister says FTA with EU is mandatory, not optional
A free trade agreement betwen South Korea and the European Union (EU) is mandatory, not optional, South Korean Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook said Wednesday.
A US-Middle East trade agreement: A circle of opportunity?
In 2003 President George W Bush proposed a US-Middle East free trade agreement (FTA) to bring “an expanding circle of opportunity” to the region. This new book from the Peterson Institute examines whether an FTA can achieve this goal and the trajectory for a likely agreement.
South-South strategic alternatives to the global economic system and power regime
An exciting development is the number of new South-South inter-governmental alliances that are emerging to defend their interests and challenge the bias of the current global trade and investment regime.
Rights Commission urges end to FTA protest ban
Korea’s National Human Rights Commission recommended Tuesday that the police lift a ban on a protests against a free trade agreement between Korea and the US.
China’s grand plans for Africa a two-way trade
Trade with China is likely to become an increasingly politically sensitive issue for a number of countries on the continent. That is because China is essentially buying the continent’s oil and minerals and selling back manufactured goods, a type of relationship redolent of a colonial one and similar to most of Africa’s existing trade relations with Europe and the US.