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Thousands of Guatemalans protest against ratification of FTA with US
3-Mar-2005
Thousands of public-school teachers, peasants, university students and workers rallied in Guatemala City Tuesday against the imminent approval of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
COMESA demands changes to current intellectual property system
3-Mar-2005 Xinhua
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) said it wants changes to the current intellectual property right system to protect the interests of developing countries. It will accordingly conduct an audit and formulate a negotiating position for COMESA member countries in their negotiations with the European Union for the Economic Partnership Agreements due to start in December 2005.
Bahrain-Germany to sign BIT
3-Mar-2005 Gulf Daily news
An agreement on the protection and promotion of investments between Bahrain and Germany is due to be signed "very soon". Germany is also pushing for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union and the GCC.
Egypt: FTA controversy
3-Mar-2005 Zawya
Egypt and the US held the most high-level bilateral trade meeting since 2002 last week - a sign that the eventual opening of formal negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could be in the works. However, officials on both sides were vague as to when that might be, saying that there were still important issues to be resolved before proceeding to the next stage of trade negotiations.
Honduras ratifies CAFTA
3-Mar-2005 Forbes
Honduras on Thursday became the second Latin American country after El Salvador to ratify a free trade agreement with the United States. Lawmakers immediately fled Congress following their decision, however, to avoid 1,000 government employees who were protesting the measure outside.
Bush administration submits annual trade report to Congress
2-Mar-2005 USTR
The Bush Administration today submitted to Congress the 2005 Trade Policy Agenda and the 2004 Annual Report of the President on the Trade Agreements Program.
Clash continues on US-Central America trade deal
2-Mar-2005 IP Watch
Protection of pharmaceutical patents may not be the biggest reason the Bush administration is struggling to line up congressional votes for a free trade agreement with five Central American countries and the Dominican Republic, but it remains critical to its passage.
BIT Treaty with US: Pakistan opposes inclusion of IPR
2-Mar-2005 Daily Times
Pakistan has refused to accept the inclusion of the Intellectual Property Rights issue in the proposed draft for a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) between the US and Pakistan, a senior government official told Daily Times.
An FTA with the US, what are we really in for?
1-Mar-2005
Regional and bilateral trade agreements have been around since the 1950’s. In the last decade however, there has been an increasing spurt of trade pacts being signed all over the world that pose challenges to the multilateral trading system.
The Andean Free Trade Agreement Behind Plan Colombia
1-Mar-2005
Although Colombia is the third largest recipient of U.S. financial aid after Iraq and Israel, it still remains a mystery nation to the majority of taxpayers.
Caribbean and Mercosur discuss free trade agreement
1-Mar-2005 AP
Caricom and Mercosur officials held talks Friday about establishing a free trade agreement by the end of the year.
An international political economy view of EU-GCC partnership
1-Mar-2005 UNED
After several years of being blocked, the signing of the EU-GCC FTA seems imminent. At the same time, the US is launching an ambitious proposal for a US-Middle East Free Trade Area in 2013, with Bahrain being the last country to adhere to a list that already includes Morocco and Jordan.
US restarts Egypt trade talks
28-Feb-2005 Washington Times
The Bush administration in its second term is continuing its drive for closer economic ties with the Middle East, restarting trade-related talks with Egypt this week and formally opening free-trade agreement negotiations with Oman and the United Arab Emirates next month.
Pakistan, China to sign trade agreement in April
28-Feb-2005 Hi Pakistan
Pakistan and China want finalisation of an early harvest programme to finally sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Japan seeks bilateral trade deals with southeast Asia
28-Feb-2005 Daily Times
Japan plans to expand trade in Southeast Asia through a network of bilateral free trade pacts - from Thailand and Malaysia to Indonesia and the Philippines, a senior Japanese trade official said.
Free trade agreements
27-Feb-2005 BusinessWorld
The formation of free-trade agreements (FTA) has become a worldwide trend in recent decades. The Philippines, in particular, is showing interest in a slew of trade agreements.
China-Japan-Korea investment opportunities studied
25-Feb-2005 China Daily
A joint study group, consisting of members from China, Japan and South Korea, issued a report recently on possible trilateral investment arrangements between the three countries, which recommended that a legal framework concerning investment among the three countries should be explored in the near future. Such an investment arrangement, if well operated, would give a fresh boost to the start of FTA negotiations.
Draft TIFA between USA and Bangladesh leaked: A quick analysis
25-Feb-2005
USA is forcing Bangladesh to sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), that will bind Bangladesh to work with USA on the successful completion of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and will provide extra facilities to USA "without prejudice to each party’s rights and obligations" under the WTO.
Middle East Free Trade Area: progress report
25-Feb-2005 US Embassy Italy
Since the Bush Administration first announced its trade initiative, it has made substantial progress in working with MEFTA entities to develop TIFAs, BITs, and FTAs.
Australia, NZ, ASEAN start free trade talks
24-Feb-2005 ABS-CBN
Australia began talks on a free-trade pact with New Zealand and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday, but said it still backed multilateral efforts to cut trade barriers.