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Country-based policies are best
16-Jul-2007
Africa’s poorest countries should develop policies to suit their unique circumstances to replace policies imposed on them by their developed country counterparts, former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa has said.
Free trade, human rights top Harper’s Colombian agenda
16-Jul-2007
Free trade talks, human rights and Colombia’s efforts to end its decades-old civil war will top the agenda today as Prime Minister Stephen Harper gets down to business on the first stop on his four-nation tour of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The EU-Mexico free trade agreement seven years on: A warning to the global South
16-Jul-2007 TNI
Seven years on, the impact of the EU-Mexico FTA is clear. Instead of the promised economic and social benefits, the treaty has left the Mexican state unable to implement policies to promote local small and medium size companies.
Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs): Responses to the EU offensive against ACP developmental regions
16-Jul-2007 TNI
ACP activists have compiled a wealth of criticisms of the EC initiative to conclude EPAs by end 2007. This paper is concerned to bring these analyses to the attention of European civil society and deepening understandings among activists and governments of the implications of EPAs and, in particular, how they undermine existing efforts towards developmental integration in ACP regions.
Chile keen on free trade pact
16-Jul-2007 Telegraph
Chile and India, which signed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) in March last year, could go in for a free trade agreement in the future. The PTA is applicable to only 300 products in each country.
Korea removes rice from EU FTA talks
16-Jul-2007 Chosun Ilbo
South Korea has sent a draft proposal on free trade talks to the EU, promising to remove or phase out import tariffs on cars over seven years. Seoul has also decided to exclude rice from its list of markets subject to opening, but it may agree to open up its agricultural market, including beef.
What will India gain from the FTA with the EU?
15-Jul-2007 New Europe
The negotiations for an EU-India FTA could prove even more difficult to bring to a successful conclusion than the Doha development negotiations.
Switzerland: China visit yields few tangible results
15-Jul-2007 swissinfo
Swiss Economics Minister Doris Leuthard will not return home from her four-day visit to China totally empty-handed. Leuthard said she was satisfied with the results of the trip and the signing of a declaration aimed at establishing a free trade accord was the "highpoint".
Vietnam : EPA talks hang in balance
15-Jul-2007 Fibre2fashion
Garment and textile manufacturers in Vietnam have shown their disapproval of Japan’s desire to impose origin regulations under the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations which began in January this year.
Toni Solo: Americanism v. ALBA
14-Jul-2007 Scoop
It has taken a while for the US to work out an effective strategy to counteract ALBA.
Peruvian trade union protests and strikes continue
14-Jul-2007 Granma
Despite threats of military repression by the government, activists said today they would continue the general strike called by the General Federation of Peruvian Workers, which is demanding a better distribution of wealth. Likewise, the National Agrarian Federation will continue its protest against a free trade agreement with the United States.
Namibia: Communication industry threatened by EPA talks
14-Jul-2007 AllAfrica.com
Between 2004 and 2006, the Naimibian government made more than N$200 million in dividends alone from fixed telecommunication lines, provision of bulk communication infrastructures, and on mobile phone services. Liberalising the sector through the EPA with the EU may poke a hole to its bulging purse. Namibia is also worried that the inclusion of a New Generation clause may hamper the country’s expansion programme into SADC market.
Canada, Jordan mull free trade agreement
14-Jul-2007 CNN
Canada and Jordan are exploring the possibility of a free trade agreement and could begin negotiations next year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.
Southern Africa: EU official ’creating rift’
13-Jul-2007 AllAfrica.com
A top European Union official has been seeking to create divisions between South Africa and its neighbours in talks aimed at establishing a free trade deal, African diplomats have alleged.
Is Mexico overlooking the EU ?
13-Jul-2007
Extract from introduction of dissertation entitled "FTA European Union - Mexico: An overview of the ’Global Agreement’ and impact since the start"
NEMA applauds signing of US free trade agreements with Panama and South Korea
13-Jul-2007 National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) congratulates US trade negotiators on this week’s signing of two important bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs), and calls upon Congress to ratify the two FTAs as soon as possible.
Lipenga warns on EPA
13-Jul-2007
Discussions to prepare Africa’s position on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union (EU) should not be approached as an academic exercise.
Civic group asks gov’t to disclose FTA text
13-Jul-2007
Lawyers for Democratic Society on July 12 requested that the government disclose information on the six new or corrected articles of the final protocol of the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States concluded on June 30.
Faeldon wants to sue officials responsible for JPEPA
13-Jul-2007 Ellen Tordesillas
A Philippine Marine captain on trial for the failed 2003 Oakwood mutiny wants to file graft charges against officials involved in the forging of the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
Japan eyes FTAs with US, EU
13-Jul-2007 Ohmynews
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has released an annual report on international trade specifying the nation’s policy of revving up preparations for future talks with the United States and the European Union on concluding free-trade agreements (FTAs).