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Govt says may still escalate EU drugs case
Indian officials reserved their right on Thursday to escalate a trade dispute with the European Union over seizures of generic drugs after Indian media reported the row had been solved.
SA to sign trade pact with EU in about-turn
South Africa is likely to conclude an economic partnership agreement by the end of this year with the European Union as a member of the Southern African Customs Union, International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said yesterday.
UN agency sees better foreign investment appetite
Governments are opening up to outside investment for funds to help their economies recover, with liberalising measures outnumbering those seeking to keep out foreign money, a UN report showed on Thursday.
Costa Rica-China free trade agreement approved for final review
Costa Rica’s Foreign Trade Ministry (COMEX) and the legislature’s Special Permanent Committee agreed Thursday morning to recommend approval of the free-trade agreement with China.
Interest builds in Pacific trade zone
Momentum is building for a US-supported free-trade pact in the Pacific aimed to serve as a counterweight to China’s economic influence.
MSF launches attack on European Commission for blocking cheap drugs
The EC is seeking a trade agreement with India which will restrict its generic companies from making cheap copycat drugs for poor countries, says MSF, which launches a campaign to oppose this and other allegedly restrictive EC practices today
Unease in Japan over EU-South Korea FTA
For Japan, which has been unable to even start negotiations with the EU on a similar free-trade arrangement, the agreement could deal a heavy blow to its auto and electronics industries.
Keidanren chief calls for early Japan-US free trade agreement
Japanese and US business leaders will adopt a joint statement urging Japan to take part in the existing four-nation trans-Pacific free trade agreement.
Anti-counterfeiting trade pact ‘99 percent’ complete
Talks on a controversial “Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement” are very nearly complete, following what participating nations described as the “final” round of negotiations in Tokyo last week.
Experts called in to fix customs union split
The Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) has instructed a team of technical experts to draft terms of reference acceptable to all five member states, in order to resolve the contentious issue of an economic partnership agreement with the European Union, President Jacob Zuma said yesterday.
EU signs free-trade deal with South Korea, its first with an Asian nation
The European Union and South Korea signed a free-trade deal yesterday that could double trade between them and trigger a rush among Asian states to enter into trade pacts with the EU.
People living with HIV lathi charged & arrested during demonstration against the EU-India FTA
As DNP+ members were proceeding towards the final “die in”, the Delhi police lathi charged (hit them with sticks) the HIV+ people and finally picked up five of the protestors. Few of the HIV+ people including a person suffering from spinal TB were beaten up by the police.
US says to negotiate free trade deal with Malaysia
"On behalf of the president, I am pleased to inform the Congress that we intend to include Malaysia in the ongoing negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement," US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Malaysia, European Union hold free-trade talks to strengthen economic ties
Malaysia and the European Union began negotiations on a free trade agreement and a political and cooperation agreement, which may take 18-24 months to conclude.
Editorial: Pacific free trade pact
In his Diet policy speech on Friday, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he will consider Japan’s participation in the negotiations for a regional trade pact known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.
Activists decry India-EU IPR talks
Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+) is staging a mass demonstration in front of Udyog Bhavan on Wednesday to protest against the inclusion of intellectual property (IP) provisions in the EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) which they fear will affect people’s access to affordable HIV/AIDS drugs.
Destructive EU-Asia free trade deals should cease
Debating the far-reaching implications of EU trade policy in Asia in the context of the Asia-Europe Summit currently taking place in Brussels, GUE/NGL MEPs joined civil society organisations, NGOs and elected representatives from Asia and Europe to call for a halt to EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Asian countries.
EU-India trade talks must stop
Civil society groups today urged the European Commission and Indian Government to halt free trade negotiations, scheduled to continue in Delhi tomorrow
US economic, political and military expansion in Asia-Pacific
The US is stepping up efforts to gain more influence in Asia-Pacific through participation in more regional institutions and negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. U.S. foreign policy seeks to shape the future of the region in an attempt to dominate economic, political and security issues.
EALA heeds Mkapa’s call on Epa agreement
Partner states of the East African Community (EAC) should not rush to seal partnership deals with the European Union until sticky issues are sorted out, the East African Legislative Assembly has cautioned.