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New EU negotiating mandate for trade agreements with ACP countries turns EPAs into CETAs
7-Feb-2020 bilaterals.org
The new mandate is much more far-reaching than the 2002 version as it incorporates everything that the EU has been pushing in its FTAs since CETA including ISDS, digital trade, far reaching IPR.
Israel, UK to begin talks on establishing post-Brexit free trade zone, PM says
7-Feb-2020 Times of Israel
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his British counterpart Boris Johnson agreed to begin talks on establishing a post-Brexit free trade zone between Israel and the UK.
Wallonia votes against EU trade pact with Mercosur countries
7-Feb-2020 Brussels Times
The Walloon parliament has voted unanimously in favour of a motion critical of the trade pact agreed between the European Union and the Mercosur countries.
Why Kenya-US trade talks will cause disquiet in EAC
7-Feb-2020 The Star
Kenya surrendered its customs space to the bloc in 2005 when it signed its customs union protocol. The rulebook compels member states to negotiate all trade pacts jointly.
Uhuru, Trump agree to establish Kenya-US free trade agreement
7-Feb-2020 The Star
President Donald Trump has announced the United States intends to initiate trade agreement negotiations with Kenya.
EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements: Directives for the negotiations (Dec 2019)
7-Feb-2020
Australia in first wave of UK trade deals
6-Feb-2020 Newcastle Herald
British Foreign Secretary hopes Australia will be in the first wave of free trade deals his country can secure in the post-Brexit era.
Britain wants Canada-style trade deal with EU - minister
6-Feb-2020 Reuters
Britain wants a Canada-style agreement with the European Union that includes goods and services.
Serbia aims to reach trade deal with UK by 2021 - report
6-Feb-2020 SeeNews
Serbia aims to reach an agreement regulating its trade relations with the UK after Brexit by 2021.
CETA puts pressure on precautionary principle, glyphosate implicated
6-Feb-2020 Arc2020
The changes joint committees are allowed to make to the CETA-text are in effect very far-reaching and at the same time binding, so they take up the role of legislator.
Trump’s new trade deal is disastrous for the planet
6-Feb-2020 CNN
The deal’s chapter on the environment fails to even mention "climate change." Nor does it include meaningful standards to prevent corporations from dumping toxic pollution in border communities.
Odebrecht takes Peru to arbitration over failed gas pipeline investment
6-Feb-2020 Reuters
Brazil construction company Odebrecht SA has taken Peru to arbitration over a failed $2 billion investment in a gas pipeline.
Trump sights in WTO procurement pact for leverage on UK, EU
5-Feb-2020 Bloomberg
By threatening to withdraw from the GPA, the Trump administration can increase its leverage and obtain greater public procurement concessions in bilateral talks with the EU and UK.
India keen to keep future FTAs with RCEP nations less ambitious
5-Feb-2020 BusinessLine
Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan are among the first ones with which India is ready to consider individual agreements to begin with.
NGOs urge European Parliament to postpone consent to EU-Vietnam trade deals
5-Feb-2020 Human Rights Watch
Despite Vietnam’s failure to meaningfully meet repeated requests for human rights improvements, a large majority in the International Trade Committee (INTA) voted in favour of granting swift consent to the agreements.
Uber ready to take dispute with Colombia to international arbitration: regional manager
4-Feb-2020 Reuters
The ride-hailing firm said its initial calculations suggest damages from suspending its service in Colombia will exceed $250 million.
Coronavirus may delay hard-fought US trade wins in China
4-Feb-2020 New York Times
The rapidly spreading coronavirus could claim one more victim: the United States-China trade deal.
Barnier outlines criteria UK must fulfil for EU market access
4-Feb-2020 The Irish Times
The UK will have to remain automatically in lockstep with any future changes to EU state aid and competition rules if it wants full and free access to EU markets in future, the EU’s draft negotiating mandate for talks says.
Namibia to launch EPA implementation plan
4-Feb-2020 The Namibian
Namibia is committed to implementing the European Union’s Economic Partnership Agreement, and to launch the plan this year, National Assembly speaker revealed.
Mexico targeting the “very closed” Brazilian economy expects to negotiate a trade deal
4-Feb-2020 MercoPress
Mexico is negotiating with Brazil to expand economic cooperation and believes it can find areas of mutual benefit even though the Brazilian economy is “very closed,” Economy Minister said.