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Japan stance threatens free trade
29-Feb-2008 The Australian
The Japanese Government has refused to offer Australia any serious concessions on agricultural import tariffs, the major barrier to a free trade agreement between the two countries.
Jordan wants agreement with the Mercosur
29-Feb-2008 ANBA
The Arab country sent to the secretariat of the Mercosur, at the end of last year, a request for a framework agreement with the South American bloc, which includes Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. The Mercosur is gong to start talks for a treaty with another Arab country, Morocco, in April, during a meeting in Rabat.
New US push for Mideast free trade deal
28-Feb-2008
US officials are engaged in "informal" talks with several GCC countries on possibly concluding a Middle East Free Trade Agreement (Mefta) by 2014, it was revealed yesterday.
Crean spruiks free trade in Pacific
28-Feb-2008
The tiny island nations of the south Pacific should have high ambitions heading into free trade negotiations with Australia, Trade Minister Simon Crean says.
FTA with El Salvador effective tomorrow
28-Feb-2008
The free trade agreement (FTA) between Taiwan and El Salvador is set to take effect tomorrow, Ministry of Economic Affairs officials said yesterday.
’We’ve messed up’ on EPAs - trade experts
28-Feb-2008 Swazi Observer
Even though Swaziland initialled an interim economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union, trade experts acknowledge that the country ’messed up’ by doing so.
Private sector for India-US investment treaty by year-end
28-Feb-2008 Mangalorean
The US-India Private Sector Advisory Group has asked the two governments to negotiate a bilateral investment treaty by end of 2008 while continuing to promote sectoral openings.
Brussels proposes first ever framework for EU-Libya ties
28-Feb-2008 AFP
The European Commission said it would begin negotiating an agreement covering political, social, economic, commercial and cultural relations with Libya once it has received the green light from the bloc’s 27 member nations.
Caricom ’carry go bring come’
28-Feb-2008
Tomorrow, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states will assemble in Kingston to spend two days in a retreat on the conduct of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations. This is hard to believe.
House approves trade pact extension
28-Feb-2008
The US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a 10-month extension of a trade program aimed at promoting imports from four Andean nations and thus discouraging the cultivation and production of illegal drugs.
AU ambassadors endorse AU stance on EPAs
28-Feb-2008
African group of ambassadors who on Friday met in Brussels expressed satisfaction at declaration of the AU assembly of heads of state and government on EPA negotiations.
Costa Rica wins 7-month CAFTA deadline extension
28-Feb-2008
Costa Rica has won a seven-month extension from its U.S. and regional trade partners to pass laws required for its entry into the CAFTA free trade pact, President Oscar Arias said on Wednesday.
Emerson hints oil would be back on table if U.S. reopens NAFTA
28-Feb-2008
Trade Minister David Emerson suggested the United States has a sweet deal over access to Canada’s oil under the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying the two Democratic presidential candidates calling for renegotiations may not know just how good the U.S. has it under the deal.
USTR says beef can change timing of FTA approval
28-Feb-2008
The United States does not intend to change the order of ratifying the three remaining free trade agreements (FTA), but South Korea’s resolution of the beef issue would definitely change the timing of congressional approval of its FTA, the top trade negotiator said Wednesday.
“Free Trade”: Is it working for farmers? Comparing 2007 to 1988
27-Feb-2008 NFU
For farmers, so-called “Free Trade” agreements do two things simultaneously: By removing tariffs, quotas, and duties, these agreements erase the economic borders between nations and force the world’s one billion farmers into a single, hyper-competitive market. At the same time, these agreements facilitate waves of agribusiness mergers that nearly eliminate competition for these corporations.
EU aims to rope in African states resisting EPAs
27-Feb-2008 IPS
The European Union is determined to get those African countries on board which have so far kicked against the economic partnership agreements. A two-part article from Aileen Kwa.
Call to action against Europe’s aggressive economic agenda in Africa
27-Feb-2008
Declaration of civil society organisations at the meeting of the Africa Trade Network, Cape Town, South Africa, 22 February 2008
Trade-EU: Deals with Africa a ’PR disaster’
27-Feb-2008 IPS
Trade talks between the European Union and African countries have been a public relations "disaster" for the Brussels bureaucracy, a high-ranking official confessed Feb. 26.
Panama-Guatemala free trade a ’historic step’
27-Feb-2008 Tico Times
Panama’s government has signed a free-trade agreement with Guatemala, Central America’s biggest economy with 11 million residents.
Peru: Four dead after government crackdown on protests against US trade deal
27-Feb-2008 Upside Down World
A two-day national agrarian strike against a pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States ended on Wednesday February 20th, leaving four farmers dead after President Alan Garcia declared a state of emergency and ordered a violent crackdown.