bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Articles by language


The high cost of free trade
WHEN the free trade agreement with the United States kicked in a year ago, Bill Rush saw his big chance. His company, Australian Defence Apparel, makes ceramic plates to be worn over bulletproof vests to protect troops against armour-piercing fire.
Thai officials dispute opposition claims on free trade with US
An official from Thailand’s bilateral Free Trade Agreement negotiating team today disputed claims by opposition groups that a free trade agreement with the US would adversely affect the country’s prescription drug market.
Thai-US FTA talks ’’unconstitutional’’, senate panel says
The Senate committee on foreign affairs will petition the Constitutional Court on Tuesday to seek a review of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) proceedings, claiming they have contravened the constitution.
Korea, US agree to start FTA negotiations
Korea and the U.S. could start negotiations for a free trade agreement in April, an insider said Friday. The government is reportedly thinking of announcing the expected benefits of an FTA in President Roh Moo-hyun’s New Year’s meeting with the press around Jan. 17. The FTA could be concluded around next March after a year or so of negotiations, the source added.
Thai-US FTA: Kraisak turns up heat on Thaksin
Opposition to a proposed Thai-US free-trade pact is threatening to escalate into a political time bomb, as a senator yesterday moved to challenge the deal’s constitutional legitimacy and called for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to step down.
S. Korea, India adopt final framework on FTA talks
South Korea and India adopted a final framework Friday to begin talks on a free trade agreement, Seoul officials said.
IPR debate centers on cheap drugs
The heated debate over intellectual property is one of the sticking points in the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Thailand and the United States, which are scheduled to resume next week.
PhRMA statement on US-Egypt free trade agreement
PhRMA believes that a strong FTA is in the interests of Egyptian patients as well as the business community.
Free and fair trade
TWO new developments have raised alarm bells about the free trade agreement between Australia and the US.
At last, a done deal
Days before 2005 closed, Egypt and Turkey finally signed a free trade agreement (FTA) the negotiations of which began in 1997.
OSG asks SC to reverse NAIA 3 ruling
The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) yesterday asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision allowing the government to take over Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) only after payment of an initial P3.002 billion to the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (PIATCO) representing the proffered value of the facilities.
Rachid strikes trade deal with Turkey
A high-powered Turkish delegation, headed by President Ahmed Necdet Sezer, arrived in Cairo last month to sign a free-trade deal with Egypt in what an editorial in the Turkish Daily News said could be a “turning point in relations between two regional powers.”
Chian Mai meeting: 10,000 expected to protests US free-trade talks
Farm workers, HIV/Aids, poverty NGOs vow to disrupt event. The sixth round of free-trade talks with the United States next week in Chiang Mai will face the wrath about 10,000 protesters from 12 special-interest groups which have vowed to rally throughout the five-day meeting.
Ministry decries failure to benefit from trade pacts
RELEGATION of the trade ministry to peripheral roles in anticipation that the private sector will drive development has made Uganda fail to benefit from regional and bilateral trade associations.
Bilateral trade deals to end, predicts expert
Country-specific trade agreements might finally give way to an integrated trade agreement or organisation, indicated Abdul Quader Shaikh, Senior Economist, United States (US) Department of Commerce at a seminar on the WTO today.
Done like a dinner on free trade deal
TO laugh or to cry? That is the question. Do you laugh at the increasingly ludicrous attempts by defenders of the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement to explain away the results of the FTA’s operation since it came into effect on January 1 last year?
FTA ’a dud deal’
There are calls today for Australia to scrap the free trade agreement.
Civic groups to protest at Thai-US FTA meeting in Chiang Mai
Eleven civic groups plan demonstrations at the venue where the Thai and US governments will hold the sixth round of FTA negotiation next week, their leaders said Thursday.
Pakistan, US to hold final round of BIT talks
A high powered US delegation is arriving here on 18 of this month to hold talks with the Pakistani authorities to finalise the BIT, in the absence of which, Washington was unprepared to sign Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Pakistan.
US sugar farmers say they will strongy oppose any changes to the FTA
The US Sugar Alliance, representing cane and beet farmers, says it will lobby strongly against any further opening of the US market to Australian sugar. Meantime, there are calls today for Australia to scrap the free trade agreement.