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Colombia-Canada trade pact needs more thought: Activists
10-Feb-2009
The signed free trade deal between Canada and Colombia could devastate indigenous communities in the South American country if implemented in its current form, says an official with a national Colombian indigenous group in Ottawa Tuesday to lobby government and opposition MPs to delay implementation of the economic pact.
Spain, Argentina push for restart of Mercosur-EU talks
10-Feb-2009
Spain and Argentina on Monday asked for a restart of trade talks between the South American Mercosur economic bloc and the European Union.
Trade: Aust, NZ push trade agenda in region
10-Feb-2009 Islands Business
Governments in Australia and New Zealand are keen to assure Pacific nations that relations with the region are marked by ‘shared development goals’, but as Maureen Penjueli writes, the islands’ ‘big brothers’ have been pushing an agenda of their own—especially when it comes to negotiating a regional free trade agreement.
Govt. allows free trade between Iran and Persian Gulf countries
10-Feb-2009 Tehran Times
Iran’s cabinet gave the green light for the signing of an agreement for free trade among Iran and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, announced a commerce ministry official here on Sunday.
RP, EU start negotiations on cooperation framework
10-Feb-2009 BusinessWorld
The Philippines and the European Union yesterday started talks in Manila for a general framework on bilateral cooperation that is requisite for a free trade agreement. The talks, which could take as long as two years to complete, will dwell on a wide variety of issues — from peace, security and human rights, to protection of intellectual property and workers rights.
Seoul hires US lobbyist for FTA ratification
10-Feb-2009 Korea Times
South Korea has signed a contract with a US lobbyist to facilitate congressional ratification of a pending free trade deal amid growing opposition to the pact fueled by the global economic crisis, Yonhap News reported Monday quoting an informed source.
NGO advises govt to be cautious over FTA with Aus, NZ
10-Feb-2009 Jakarta Post
The Indonesian government should act “wiser and more cautious” before signing a new free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia and New Zealand this month, a local non-government economic watchdog insisted during a press conference in Diponegoro, Central Jakarta Monday.
S. Korea, EU agree to conclude FTA talks as soon as possible
10-Feb-2009 Xinhua
Local media say South Korea wants to finalize the FTA talks within the first quarter this year and make it effective early next year.
Nigeria’s cocoa processing sector faces collapse
9-Feb-2009 This Day
For failing to assent to the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) being proposed by the EU to the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, processed agricultural produce being exported from Nigeria to the EU attracts an extra cost of a minimum of 6 per cent of the total value of products being exported. Similar products being exported from countries such as Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and others who have endorsed the temporary EPA do not attract this extra cost, therefore putting Nigerian products at a major cost disadvantage in the export of processed products to the EU.
Tifa yet not on table: Boucher
8-Feb-2009 Daily Star
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard A Boucher today said till now Dhaka and Washington did not have an active negotiation on Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa).
Swiss say big yes to EU labour
8-Feb-2009 AFP
The Swiss shook off right-wing fears over job losses on Sunday, voting resoundingly to prolong an EU free labour agreement and extending the policy to workers from bloc newcomers Bulgaria and Romania.
RP-EU partnership-agreement talks start
8-Feb-2009 Business Mirror
The Philippines and the European Union (EU) will formally start on Monday the negotiations for the Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) that qualifies Manila to the comprehensive free-trade agreement between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that seeks to facilitate trade and investments between two influential regional blocs.
FTA with Nepal at initial stage
8-Feb-2009 The Island
The President of the Sri Lanka Nepal Business Council of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka said that Nepal had approached Sri Lanka about entering into a free trade agreement.
Developing countries turn to South-South trade
8-Feb-2009 Reuters
Developing countries hoping to compensate for slumping demand in rich countries and falling commodity prices are looking at ways to bolster one of the most dynamic parts of their economies — South-South trade.
Spain expects to sign Peru-EU deal when takes bloc presidency in 2010
8-Feb-2009 Andina
Peru’s Foreign minister Jose Antonio García Belaunde said Saturday that Spain wants to sign formally the Association Agreement between Peru and the European Union (EU), when this country takes on presidency of the bloc in 2010.
Trade: South Africa in growing conflict with EU
8-Feb-2009 IPS
Brussels officials have rejected calls from three southern African governments for a reassessment of a new trade accord with the European Union.
Philippine negotiator criticized for supporting EU proposal for bilateral trade negotiations
7-Feb-2009
The EU-ASEAN Campaign network, with members in Europe and Southeast Asia, assailed the statements made recently by Philippine Assistant Secretary Ramon Cabigting of the Department of Trade and Industry expressing support to the EU proposal to proceed with bilateral talks with the EU and the country’s willingness to liberalize its services sector.
Jordan, Pakistan to negotiate FTA in March
6-Feb-2009
Jordan and Pakistan are expected to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) this year, with negotiations to finalise the draft deal slated for March, Pakistan’s envoy to Jordan said on Wednesday.
Ministers pledge to remove trade barriers
6-Feb-2009
East African Community (EAC) Council of ministers has set up a monitoring mechanism to deal with non-tariff trade barriers (NTBs) that have ruined investor confidence.
FTA with Nepal at initial stage
6-Feb-2009
The President of the Sri Lanka Nepal Business Council of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) said that Nepal had approached Sri Lanka about entering into a free trade agreement.