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The EESC opposes ISDS in TTIP and CETA and calls for an International Investment Court
29-May-2015 EESC
The European Economic and Social Committee, in its opinion adopted on 27 May, opposes the inclusion of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) or in the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA), as it believes such a system has the potential to derail both agreements.
Africa to launch Continental Free Trade Agreement negotiations
29-May-2015 Xinhua
African countries will launch the Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) negotiations at the upcoming African Union Summit scheduled for mid-June this year, it was announced on Thursday.
International Investment Agreements (IIAs): Frequently Asked Questions
28-May-2015 Congressional Research Service
This report for US Congress answers frequently asked questions about US international investment agreements including provisions for investor-state dispute settlement.
Why India is not joining trade in services agreement
28-May-2015 Live Mint
Even though India has been insisting on negotiating services agreements in all ongoing bilateral trade agreements, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, to tap its rapidly growing young skilled workforce, it has so far desisted from joining a plurilateral trade in services agreement (Tisa) being negotiated among 24 countries.
MEPs take initial position on TTIP negotiations
28-May-2015 BBC
The resolution supported by the committee does not explicitly call for a ban on controversial investor-to-state dispute mechanisms (ISDS), instead calling for the jurisdiction of national courts to be "respected" in the deal.
Free trade agreements lead to rising exports, study confirms
28-May-2015 APEC
As regional free trade agreements proliferate in the Asia-Pacific, a new APEC Policy Support Unit report confirms that these agreements do make a difference in boosting exports.
Saudi sheep farm sparks "bribery" calls in New Zealand Parliament
28-May-2015 Xinhua
New Zealand’s Auditor General has been asked to investigate government spending of 11 million NZ dollars (US$7.96m) on a sheep farm in Saudi Arabia in what has been labeled a bribe to secure a free trade agreement with the Arab Gulf states.
PH eyes 3 more bilateral agreements
28-May-2015 Rappler
The Philippines plans to forge bilateral agreements with Mexico, Chile and Canada, after the countries started last week exploration talks aimed at further strengthening their trade and economic relations.
Counter-summit: Trade relations between European Union and Latin America
28-May-2015 RLF
Under the title "Days of Mobilization: Reclaiming Peoples’ Sovereignty against the Corporate-led Trade and Investment Architecture" a counter summit is taking place with many activities on 8 - 10 June 2015, right before the official EU-CELAC-Summit hosted in Brussels this year (10 - 11 June 2015).
Julian Assange on the Trans-Pacific Partnership: Secretive deal isn’t about trade, but corporate control
28-May-2015 Democracy Now
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange warns that the secret Trans-Pacific Partnership could chill the adoption of health and environmental regulations affecting 40 percent of the global economy.
Capitalism, culture and the legacy of victimization: Black America and the political economy of neoliberal trade deals
27-May-2015 Counter Punch
Over the last week African Americans organization have rallied in opposition to the TPP and established its defeat as an immediate priority for black people, even as some members of the Congressional Black Caucus are wavering in their initial opposition as a result of pressure from the Obama administration.
Chinese dairy farmers upset with Australian free trade agreement
27-May-2015 ABC Rural
Chinese dairy farmers fear their government is sacrificing the local industry to promote trade with Australia.
Challenges and opportunities for EU-Mexico trade relations
27-May-2015 Katoikos
In early May, the Brussels think tank CEPS and the Spanish bank BBVA organised a meeting between high-level representatives from the EU and Mexico aiming to review the EU-Mexico trade relationship
Philippines, Peru set to engage in FTA talks
27-May-2015 Xinhua
The Philippines is set to engage into free trade agreement talks with Peru, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
Processing requirements ’off the table’ in CETA spat with Ottawa: Darin King
27-May-2015 CBC News
A dispute between the Newfoundland and Labrador government and Ottawa surrounding the Canadian European Union Comprehensive Trade Agreement (CETA) was reignited Tuesday, with the province saying it will not relinquish authority over minimum fish processing requirements.
China-led lender adds urgency to Japan’s pursuit of pan-Pacific trade pact
26-May-2015 Reuters
"If the new Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank goes ahead and TPP fails .... perception-wise it will hurt in the leadership contest for the Asia-Pacific," a Japanese government source told Reuters.
TTIP – now it gets political
26-May-2015 New Internationalist
In a series of forthcoming votes, the European Parliament and US Congress are turning their attention to an agreement that is becoming more toxic with every passing day.
Paul Krugman: Pacific trade deal will fail without established trust
26-May-2015 Post Bulletin
Instead of addressing real concerns, the Obama administration has been dismissive, trying to portray skeptics as uninformed hacks who don’t understand the virtues of trade. But they’re not: The skeptics have on balance been more right than wrong.
Sitharaman-EU trade commissioner meeting next week on FTA
26-May-2015 PTI
India Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will meet her EU counterpart Cecila Malmstrom next week to take stock of the proposed FTA at political level, an EU envoy said, stating that taxation will not be part of the trade deal’s coverage.
Intellectual property issues viewed as last TPP hurdle
26-May-2015 Japan Times
Trade negotiators for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement in Guam are now focusing on intellectual property issues, which appear likely to be the last hurdle to concluding the talks.