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Articles by language

Peoples movements reject the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

20-Jul-2018 APWLD

More than 80 participants representing trade union, farmers, indigenous peoples, health and patients networks, women’s organisations, academia and civil society organisations from the region have gathered in Thailand on the sidelines of the 23rd round of RCEP negotiations.

EU-Mercosur trade talks targeting September finale: Argentina

20-Jul-2018 Reuters

A free trade agreement between the European Union and Latin American bloc Mercosur is close to being concluded, with a final push over the line seen by early September.

Trade deals putting health at risk

20-Jul-2018 Bangkok Post

A leaked draft of the negotiating text has revealed some proposed harmful intellectual property provisions that could undermine access to price-lowering, generic medicines, and thus, life-saving treatment to millions of people.

Secret RCEP trade deal fails international standards of transparency, experts warn

20-Jul-2018 Friends of the Earth International

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership involving 16 nations from Asia-Pacific will impact the lives of over three billion people, yet a new study reveals how the deal fails international standards of transparency and public engagement.

No RCEP campaign: Thai women’s groups reject RCEP

19-Jul-2018 APWLD

Women’s rights organisations from Thailand say NO to RCEP as the neoliberal free trade agreement will only exacerbate inequality and the negative impact on their livelihoods.

UK set to start domestic consultation on first free-trade deals, including with NZ

19-Jul-2018 NZ Herald

The British Government has authorised preparations to begin for free-trade negotiations with New Zealand, Australia and the United States and to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership

China unresponsive over FTA talks with Sri Lanka

19-Jul-2018 Nikkei Asian Review

Beijing possibly hoping for a return to power of the Rajapaksa clan.

Secrecy in RCEP trade deal threatens Asian democracies

19-Jul-2018 Jakarta Post

With a global trade war looming and public faith in corporate globalization at an all-time low, secrecy in trade deals cannot be accepted. People have a right to know what is being negotiated in their name.

EU FTA almost dead, India now eyes post-Brexit UK

19-Jul-2018 Times of India

The India-EU free trade agreement is on the verge of death. The two sides are expected to formally state, in diplomatic language, that FTA talks may no longer be resumed.

Pacific Alliance trade talks to be advanced in Mexico

19-Jul-2018 Scoop

New Zealand to hold talks with his Pacific Alliance counterparts in Mexico to seek further progress on a free trade agreement with the four-nation grouping.

European business lobby urges Brussels to accelerate trade talks with Mercosur

19-Jul-2018 MercoPress

European companies are urging the European Union to accelerate trade negotiations with Mercosur bloc, in a sign of concern that the 20-year talks could once again fall dormant if they do not reach an accord this week.

TPP countries to start accession talks for new members in 2019

19-Jul-2018 The Mainichi

Thailand, Indonesia, Columbia, South Korea and Taiwan are seen as willing to join the revised TPP. Britain has also shown interest.

Indonesia, EU to establish most modern trade agreement

19-Jul-2018 Antara

The fifth round of talks not only covered discussions on trade in goods but also the trade of services, investments, and other forms of cooperation. Among the specific issues discussed were energy and raw materials.

Trump says EU officials want to negotiate trade deal in Washington visit

19-Jul-2018 Reuters

US President Donald Trump said that European leaders were coming to Washington next week to try to hammer out a deal focused largely on car tariffs.

Educators in the EU and Japan demand education be left out of trade agreement

19-Jul-2018 Education International

The agreement poses direct threats to the provision of high-quality public services, such as education, in particular through restricting governments’ capacity to regulate in the public interest, encouraging further liberalisation of services and expanding the rights of multinational corporations.

RCEP events in Bangkok, 20-24 July 2018

18-Jul-2018

‘Huge growth opportunities for agri-food exports’: How the EU-Japan trade deal will benefit EU food

18-Jul-2018 Food Navigator

The European Union and Japan signed a landmark agreement that is expected to boost trade in agri-food products.

US trade deals mean justice for some, not justice for all

18-Jul-2018 AFL-CIO

Those with the means to become international wheeler-dealers can access ISDS. The rest of us have to rely on public courts—the same ones that investors say are “inadequate” to handle their needs. That’s not fair, and that’s not right.