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S. Korea, EU spar over ’rules of origin’
29-Jan-2008 Korea Times
Under EU-suggested rules, a product would be considered as coming from a trading partner only when at least 60 percent of the value of the finished item is added in that country. South Korean negotiators want the ratio to be lowered to 40 percent, as a number of manufacturers in the country outsource many components from neighboring countries such as China to cut costs.
Strange turnaround on JPEPA
28-Jan-2008 Strange turnaround on JPEPA
Here’s Malaya columnist Nestor Mata’s take on the sudden turnaround of Sen. Mar Roxas on JPEPA.
Tañada’s group urges Roxas to withdraw support for JPEPA
28-Jan-2008 Tañada’s group urges Roxas to withdraw support for JPEPA
Fair trade advocates chided Senator Mar Roxas II on Tuesday for supporting the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement even as they renewed calls for renegotiation of the treaty.
FIDH writes an open letter to African Union Heads of State and Government 10th African Union Summit
28-Jan-2008 Modern Ghana
the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) emphasizes that there are particular dangers associated with the negotiation of trade and investment agreements in a regional or bilateral context, which may not exist, or may not exist to the same extent, in the multilateral framework of the WTO.
NAFTA awakens the ghost of Pancho Villa
27-Jan-2008 Newspaper Tree
Convened two years before the 100th anniversary of the 1910 Mexican Revolution and the 200th anniversary of the 1810 War for Independence, Mexico’s latest farmer protest is now gathering force with strong historical and political overtones. Farmers intend to follow the same route that Pancho Villa took on his 1914 march into Mexico City, and on which an anti-NAFTA protest was conducted by protestors on horseback in 1999
Nepal trade policy dilemma: Experts stress benefits of bilateralism
27-Jan-2008
The Nepalese government still seems to be unclear about its priority on trade. Policy makers and senior government officials appear to be bugged down in the morass of confusion as to whether would it be appropriate to go for bilateralism or regionalism or multilateralism.
India: Free trade talks launched with four European nations
27-Jan-2008 Sify
India is on course to signing its first free trade agreement with the Western world after Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath Saturday launched a joint task force to negotiate a deal with four European nations.
Free trade with EU entails endless conditions
27-Jan-2008 Gulf News
It seems that more time is needed before the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and 27-member European Union sign a long-awaited free trade agreement. Qatar’s deputy premier and minister of energy and industry Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah recently raised the alarm bells, speaking of "endless" EU conditions.
Canada signs free trade deal with EFTA
27-Jan-2008 AFP
Canada said it signed its first free trade pact with European countries Saturday, clearing the way for it to boost its commerce there by ties with Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Peru, Canada sign free trade agreement
27-Jan-2008 AFP
Peru and Canada have signed a free trade agreement at the the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland
Canada and EFTA Countries Sign Free Trade Agreement
27-Jan-2008
On January 26, 2008, Canada announced that Minister of International Trade and the Leaders of the EFTA Countries (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) signed a free trade agreement in Davos, Switzerland on January 26, 2008.
Canada and Peru conclude negotiations of a Free Trade Agreement
27-Jan-2008
On January 26, 2008, Canada announced that Canada had concluded its negotiations of a free trade agreement with Peru. The Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) follows the Canada-Peru bilateral investment treaty (called a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA)) on June 20, 2007. The CPFTA is Canada’s sixth free trade agreement (after the North American Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, Canada-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement and Canada-EFTA Free Trade Agreement)
Tañada’s group urges Roxas to withdraw support for JPEPA
25-Jan-2008 Tañada’s group urges Roxas to withdraw support for JPEPA
Fair trade advocates chided Senator Mar Roxas II on Tuesday for supporting the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement even as they renewed calls for renegotiation of the treaty.
EU clamps down on Nigerian cocoa
25-Jan-2008 Modern Ghana
Following the decision of Nigeria not to endorse the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union, cocoa processing firms in that country have been facing stiff export hurdles, resulting in multi-million dollar losses since the beginning of January.
Japan’s EPA strategy targets East Asia
25-Jan-2008 UPI
Filipino activists are spearheading an East Asian campaign to stop not only JPEPA but also other Japanese EPAs in the region.
ASEAN-Japan FTA expected to be signed in May
25-Jan-2008 MCOT
A free trade area (FTA) agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan is expected to be inked this May, a senior Thai official said Thursday.
Europe supports Morocco’s EU partnership aspirations
25-Jan-2008 Maghrebia
Morocco invited European Union leaders to Rabat on Monday to discuss the transformation of its current Association Agreement into "advanced status" with the EU. The European ministers in attendance underlined their support for the Moroccan initiative.
Fair trade group renews call for JPEPA renegotiation
24-Jan-2008 Fair trade group renews call for JPEPA renegotiation
The Fair Trade Alliance urged the government anew to renegotiate the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) after Senator Manuel Roxas II has favored its full ratification.
Panama and Chile to start free trade
24-Jan-2008 Prensa Latina
Panama and Chile will implement a bilateral free trade agreement on March 7, signed by both countries, the Panamanian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.
Peru : FTA wih Canada nearing conclusion
24-Jan-2008 Fibre2Fashion
Peru’s Foreign Minister Ms Mercedes Araoz made an announcement to the effect that Peru and Canada were close to concluding negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement.