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Crowd protests at free trade talks
6-Dec-2010
A noisy crowd gathered in Auckland this morning to voice opposition to a proposed trans-Pacific free trade agreement which they say will strip New Zealand of its strategic assets and open it up to rampant foreign investment.
North Block seeks reality check on FTAs
5-Dec-2010
Amid the rise of free trade agreements (FTA), the finance ministry has called for a reality check on bilateral pacts involving a reduction in import duty on goods.
Costa Rican FM hails FTA with China
5-Dec-2010
Costa Rican Foreign Minister Rene Castro said on Saturday that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China will help his country overcome the challenge of global financial crisis.
Leaked NZ paper challenges past US FTA models in TPP negotiations
5-Dec-2010
A confidential Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiating paper authored by New Zealand suggests that the trade pact’s patent and copyright provisions be no more stringent than existing global standards
Leaked NZ paper reveals rift with US on intellectual property in trade agreement
4-Dec-2010
On the eve of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations in Auckland, a leaked negotiating document has exposed a fundamental conflict between the US and New Zealand positions on intellectual property.
Rally against EU-India Free Trade Agreement held at Moirang
4-Dec-2010
A mass rally cum public meeting was held today at Moirang in protest against the proposed EU-India Free Trade Agreement and Violence against Women which was jointly organized by the North East Dialogue Forum, New Life Foundation, Social Action Platform, Women Group against Discrimination and Women Action for Development.
Japan not to send senior officials to upcoming Pacific FTA talks
4-Dec-2010 Mainichi
Japan has given up the idea of sending senior officials to the upcoming round of negotiations for a US-backed multilateral trans-Pacific free trade agreement, to be held in New Zealand from Monday, a government official said Friday.
KORUS FTA finalized after prolonged renegotiations
4-Dec-2010 Hankyoreh
South Korea and the United States finally reached an agreement after their intense renegotiations of free trade deal (KORUS FTA) on Friday.
EU trade talks may deal blow to Aids fight
3-Dec-2010
Fears have been raised that cheap life-saving anti-retroviral drugs may no longer be available in Kenya if a trade agreement between the EU and India is concluded.
State to pursue elusive EPAs deal as KHRC goes to court
3-Dec-2010
Kenya must pursue negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union to their favourable conclusion because there is no better alternative.
Stalled trade pact with Europe leaves exporters exposed
3-Dec-2010
Kenya’s fish and horticultural exporters face another year of uncertain trade relations with Europe, putting billions of shillings at stake.
EPAs bound to stir unhealthy competition
3-Dec-2010
Kenya Human Rights Commission has called on the government to discontinue Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) negotiations with the European Union arguing that if signed would deepen dependency on Europe.
Explaining away broken FTA promises
3-Dec-2010
It happened right after the signing of the Uruguay Round Agricultural Agreement on Dec. 15, 1993. At the time, opposition parties and farmers’ groups raised strenuous objections to the outcome of the negotiations. They asked the government if it was possible to enter new negotiations and revise the plan for market opening. They were asking for a bit more time for Korean farmers to prepare. The response from government officials was adamant: “Not a single dot or line can be revised.”
NZ: Protests planned for Monday against so-called “free trade” agreement
3-Dec-2010 Scoop
Global Peace and Justice Auckland is coordinating protest action in Auckland next week against negotiations for a proposed TPPA (Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement).
TPP: Open Letter to the Prime Ministers of Australia and NZ
3-Dec-2010 Scoop
"The TPPA proposal is being sold as a new agreement for the 21st century. In fact, the US is effectively setting the terms for negotiations, based on a standard template that replicates the US North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) model."
FTA talks with U.S. extended, with focus on auto imports
3-Dec-2010
Korea and the United States have extended their talks on a pending free trade deal by at least one more day in a last-minute effort to reach an agreement.
NGOs submit memo to govt, call for halt to FTAs
3-Dec-2010 Third World Network
A group of NGOs representing the Anti-FTA Coalition gathered on Thursday, 3 Dec 2010 at the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry to hand over a memorandum addressed to the Minister to register their concerns over Malaysia’s plan to enter into negotiations with the EU (bilateral) as well as the US (via the Trans-Pacific Partnership) which will take place next week in Belgium and New Zealand, respectively.
Economic liberalisation and gender dynamics in traditional small-scale fisheries: Reflections on the proposed EU-India free trade agreement
3-Dec-2010 Focus/ICR
This new report from Focus on the Global South in collaboration with Intercultural Resources explores the dynamics within traditional small scale fisheries in the context of the controversial negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and India.
NFU puts trade, supply management on agenda
3-Dec-2010
Terry Boehm is having a busy week. The president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) just returned on Tuesday from a trip overseas, landing at the forefront of the NFU’s 41st annual convention, which starts today in Saskatoon. About 250 people from across the country are expected to attend the yearly event, which covers a range of issues from free trade to green initiatives.
Trade ministers urged to deny corporations ability to sue provincial, territorial governments
3-Dec-2010
With the upcoming meeting of the Committee on Internal Trade (CIT) ministers in Saskatoon on December 3, a wide cross-section of Canadian civil society groups are urging governments to deny corporations the right to sue the provinces and territories under the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) as requested by a coalition of business groups this week.