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Hearing to begin this week in multi-billion-dollar battle between S. Korea, Lone Star
An international tribunal will begin hearing a multi-billion dollar case this week that the US private equity firm Lone Star filed against South Korea’s government over tax and other disputes surrounding its asset sell-offs in Korea.
TPP denounced in Peru as US-led negotiations end
On Monday, a coalition of Peruvian civil society organizations issued a strong warning as negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership treaty (TPP) come to an end.
The embattled future of global trade policy
Should proposed US plurilateral trade agreements be welcomed? This is a big question, not least for those who consider the liberalisation of world trade to be a signal achievement. It is also highly controversial.
Australia: Labor wants China trade pact info released
Labor has called on the government to release the text of the Australia-China free trade deal, after the Coalition revealed the budget would take a $6 billion hit over four years as tariffs came down.
Leading scholars, former judges sign letter opposing Investor-State Dispute Settlement
A group of legal and economic luminaries have signed a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to oppose Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions in proposed trade deals.
Victory for grassroots as Fast Track goes down in crucial Senate vote
In what was immediately heralded as a victory for the grassroots, Senate Democrats on Tuesday stymied President Barack Obama’s corporate-driven trade agenda by voting to prevent the chamber from taking up Fast Track legislation.
Senate Democrats block Obama on free-trade initiative
US Senate Democrats dealt a stinging setback to Barack Obama on Tuesday, blocking a measure that would have given their own president a free hand to swiftly finalise a massive Pacific Rim trade accord.
Major win as US Senate blocks TPP Fast Track bill
Opponents of sprawling and secretive international agreements won a significant victory today when U.S. Senators voted to block the advancement of its Fast Track trade bill.
Investor-State Dispute Settlement: Review of Developments in 2014
According to UNCTAD, 40% of all new ISDS cases in 2014 were initiated against developed countries (the historical average is 28%). A quarter of them are intra-EU disputes.
S. Korea, China, Japan hold talks for 3-way FTA
South Korea, Japan and China began a new round of negotiations on a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in Seoul on Tuesday in an effort to thrash out their remaining differences.
GPCA urges free trade deal between GCC and Europe
A comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the top 10 trading partners, including the European Union, could result in substantial GDP increases says Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association.
Govt revises investment treaties
Several existing investment agreements with a number of countries will soon be revised, bringing more certainty not only to foreign companies doing business in Indonesia but also to the government, a senior minister has said.
’India needs more FTAs, greater competitiveness to deal with mega trade pacts’
India is negotiating seven free trade agreements with countries such as Russia, Australia and Peru that could help it deal with possible loss of share in traditional markets such as the US and the EU that are negotiating mega regional trade pacts.
CTI applauds move towards an African FTA
Plans by African leaders to launch an ambitious Free Trade Area comprising of 26 countries and backed by over 600 million people next month are in the right direction for the private sector.
Pacific: EU proposes to stop EPA negotiations for 3 years
The European Union have proposed a 3 year pause in negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement, according to Fiji media.
Trans-Pacific Partnership: Democrats may have votes to block ’fast track’ authority
Democratic party infighting has left in limbo US President Barack Obama’s highly sought special authority to close global trade deals, with opponents believing they have the votes to block the measure.
Stop the suits tour: International investment agreements threaten people and the environment from El Salvador to Canada
In anticipation of an imminent ruling from a little-known arbitration tribunal at the World Bank that could force El Salvador to pay Canadian-Australian mining firm OceanaGold US$301 million, a Salvadoran delegation is visiting Canada to discuss how investor-state arbitration threatens democratic decision-making, public health and the environment here and beyond our borders.
Pakistan, Thailand to begin dialogue on FTA, says minister
Pakistan and Thailand will start dialogue on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) soon as Cabinet of Thailand has agreed allowing negotiations for FTA with Pakistan.
Ukraine looking to support its businesses ahead of joining FTA with EU
The Ukrainian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade believes that not all Ukrainian companies are ready to switch to new working conditions once the economic part of the European Union-Ukraine association agreement comes into effect, and is looking for ways to support business.
PH, Canada mull free trade pact
Philippine President Benigno Aquino and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper have agreed to explore the possibility of forging a free trade agreement.