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News from the movements

Does Trump’s return spell the end of free trade?
14-Mar-2025 Attac France & bilaterals.org
Donald Trump’s return to power and his fresh round of tariffs have sent further shockwaves through the neoliberal order that has shaped global trade since the 1990s. So does this mark the death of free trade?
Trump and trade policy. Elements for analysis.
12-Mar-2025 América Latina Mejor sin TLC
The Platform, together with Latindadd, held a virtual meeting aimed at providing elements for analysing the new global economic situation brought about by the return to power of US President Donald Trump.
Corporate colonization through trade: A new scramble for Africa
5-Mar-2025 Public Citizen
Investor-State Dispute Settlement has become a significant concern for African nations, as it often privileges multinational corporations at the expense of local governance and public welfare.
Potential Trump trade deal would ‘roll out the red carpet to tech billionaire oligarchy’, campaigners warn
3-Mar-2025 Global Justice Now
Campaigners warn potential return of US trade deal talks would take a ‘wrecking ball’ to standards and public services.
Mexico’s path to food sovereignty undercut by USMCA decision
28-Feb-2025 IATP
The dispute panel’s ruling against Mexico in a challenge brought by the US, and Mexico’s eventual agreement to withdraw the provisions on corn, points to the limitations of existing trade rules, which are heavily influenced by industrial agriculture and biotechnology interests.
The new Canada-Ecuador trade deal pushes anti-democratic trade policy
27-Feb-2025 CCPA
Amidst all the chaos brought on by Trump’s tariff threats, Canada’s federal trade minister celebrated a minor win this month: the finalization of a trade agreement with Ecuador.
EU-Mercosur Agreement: Old pledges, new potential impacts for food systems and a just transition
27-Feb-2025 IATP
The EU-Mercosur Agreement continues with the narrative that it ensures environmental clauses and climate commitments, in practice it implements measures that could divert means and resources that could otherwise be used for a genuine, just, ecological and inclusive transition.
The MERCOSUR-EU trade agreement and its impact on peasant women: Notes from Brazil
21-Feb-2025 La Via Campesina
Women continue to march, denouncing violence and environmental crimes, fighting against the plundering of common goods, and against the signing and ratification of agreements that continue to fill the galleys of the Global North with our wealth at the expense of the massacre of peoples.
Mexico’s CUSMA loss is a warning to New Zealand
20-Feb-2025 CCPA
Genetically modified corn dispute from the US and Canada exposes lack of protection for Indigenous rights in recent trade deals.
Joint letter ahead of the European Union-Israel Association Council
20-Feb-2025 ETUN Palestine
In a letter sent ahead of the European Union-Israel Association Council meeting, our network alongside 120 trade unions, civil society and human rights organisations called on the EU to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Trade deal fueling resource grab? 120+ groups from Europe and Indonesia sound the alarm
18-Feb-2025 European Trade Justice Coalition
Over 120 civil society organizations and trade unions from Indonesia and Europe today call on the Indonesian government and the EU to stop the negotiations for the Indonesia-EU free trade agreement – the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The organizations warn that this agreement threatens the environment, climate, and the rights of women, Indigenous Peoples, workers, small farmers and fisherfolk.
STOP the Indonesia-EU trade deal: Joint Statement on raw materials in EU-Indonesia CEPA
18-Feb-2025 European Trade Justice Coalition
CSOs in Europe and Indonesia are urging the EU and Indonesia to stop CEPA negotiations. The agreement threatens the environment, climate, and the rights of vulnerable groups, while hindering Indonesia’s ability to develop its own raw materials value chain. The groups also raise concerns about privatization of energy, investor protections, and the inclusion of elements from Indonesia’s "Omnibus Law," which weakens labor protections.
Thailand signed FTA with EFTA: no worries about TRIPs Plus, except Border Measure & IP Enforcement
17-Feb-2025 Access to Medicines
While the Thailand - EFTA agreemnts avoids TRIPS-plus measures that would directly impact medicine access and the universal healthcare system, Thai CSOs group remain concerns regarding border measures and intellectual property enforcement.
EU pushes its economic agenda in the midst of unfolding trade wars and uncertainties
10-Feb-2025 Focus on the Global South
The second round of negotiations for a comprehensive and ambitious free trade agreement between the European Union and the Philippines will commence today in Manila amidst an unfolding trade war among the major trade powers triggered by Trump’s tariffs.
EU institutions have legal responsibility to ban Western Sahara products, French Court rules
3-Feb-2025 Western Sahara Resource Watch
The French Court’s confirmation comes a week after representatives of the Spanish agricultural sector called on the EU to end tomato imports from Western Sahara.
They should have listened to us about free trade
31-Jan-2025 rabble.ca
Almost 40 years ago, the Left was warning about the consequences of tying Canada economically to the US. The election of Donald Trump is showing just how accurate those warnings were.
EU-Mexico conclusion of a new trade agreement: the EU Commission adds more fuel to farmers’ anger
29-Jan-2025 European Coordination Via Campesina
ECVC condemns the decision of the leaders of the European Commission and Mexico to conclude the EU-Mexico trade agreement negotiations, just one and a half months after the EU-Mercosur deal negotiations were finalised.
Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) of the free trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association and Thailand – A critical analysis
24-Jan-2025 Alliance Sud and Public Eye
The SIA falls short of its promises. It contains strong methodological and analytical shortcomings which limit its usefulness for negotiators, stakeholders or the general public.
An urgent call from European trade unions: Suspend the Association Agreement with Israel
22-Jan-2025 ETUN Palestine
European trade union organisations and confederations called on the European Commission to fulfill its obligations and review the Israeli Government’s compliance with article two of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
IEU CEPA: A threat to the environment, indigenous peoples, and biodiversity
21-Jan-2025 Indonesia for Global Justice
Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ) and WALHI (Friends of the Earth Indonesia) released a joint statement raises critical concerns about the proposed Indonesia-EU CEPA. It highlights the potential negative impacts of the agreement, particularly when coupled with Indonesia’s Omnibus Law, on the environment, Indigenous communities, and biodiversity.