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SADC Free Trade Area comes into effect
9-Jan-2008 SABC News
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area has come into effect as from the start of this year. This means most goods produced in the region can now enter member countries free of custom duties.
Standing up to NAFTA
8-Jan-2008 Tehran Times
Every hour, Mexico imports $1.5 million worth of agricultural and food products, almost all from the United States. In that same hour, 30 people — men, women, and children — leave their homes in the Mexican countryside to take up the most dangerous journey of their lives — as migrants to the United States. No matter what one’s stance on these two fundamental phenomena of our age — economic integration and immigration — one thing is absolutely clear: they are related.
Marche contre les Ape : Forte mobilisation des jeunes pour un partenariat gagnant-gagnant
8-Jan-2008 Le Soleil
15h50, le signal est donné sur le boulevard de la République. La foule s’étend des environs du bloc des Madeleines à l’école Jeanne d’Arc. Elle est composée en majorité de jeunes qui brandissent des pancartes. “ Non au chantage économique ”, “ Oui au développement, et à la croissance, non à la régression des pays africains ”, Les Ape, un danger pour l’Afrique ”, “ la jeunesse dit non aux Ape ”. D’autres scandent des slogans hostiles aux Ape. “ Nous ne signons pas ”, lancent-ils. Les tee-shirt et foulards disent aussi non à la signature des accords de partenariat économique.
USTR Susan Schwab and CEA President & CEO Gary Shapiro at International CES: Trade is vital to US economic growth and jobs
8-Jan-2008 Reuters
Free trade agreements are important for the US consumer electronics industry
India to push for easier norms for exports to EU
8-Jan-2008 Economic Times
India will push for the removal of stringent quality norms for export to the European Union in the bilateral trade and investment agreement that is being worked out now. Restrictions on supplying ayurvedic medicines to the EU countries, extremely low maximum residue limit on products such as spices and registration problems faced by poultry and egg suppliers are high on India’s agenda.
Tunisians uncertain about EU free trade agreement
8-Jan-2008 Maghrebia
Tunisia opened up a promising new market by entering the Free Trade Zone Agreement with the European Union, but some business and political leaders caution that without protection and modernisation measures, the economic gulf between Tunisia and the EU could get worse, not better.
Korea mulls FTA with Southern African countries
8-Jan-2008 Korea.net
Korea is considering a free trade pact with the the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) to expand cooperative ties with resource-rich countries
Asean-India FTA talks enter final stage
8-Jan-2008 Star
Discussions on a free trade agreement between Asean and India are in the final stage with only one issue to resolve: the export of palm oil from the region to India
Mexico’s shoemakers feel squeeze of globalization
8-Jan-2008 Chicago Tribune
Mexicans can’t match the low wages and cheap production of China, and they can’t keep up with the technology and productivity of the US and other industrialized economies.
Pacing the FTA with China
5-Jan-2008 Sify
One of the objectives of Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s forthcoming visit to Beijing is to push for a free trade accord between India and China, preliminary work on which has begun.
Malaysia-US FTA talks to resume on January 14
4-Jan-2008
Formal negotiations between Malaysia and the US are said to be scheduled to resume during the week of January 14 in Kuala Lumpur, according to Barbara Weisel, the US chief negotiator, adding that the US hopes to reach an agreement by the middle of the year.
Talks show China key player on world stage
4-Jan-2008 China Daily
Rcent bilateral talks with the major economies — US, Japan and EU — is solid proof of China’s emergence as a key player in the global economy.
Mexico workers, Church slam NAFTA
4-Jan-2008 Prensa Latina
Mexican farmers and trade unions are protesting and carrying out legal actions against the North American Free Trade Agreement, for considering it a mortal blow against the national agricultural sector. The Catholic Church warned in official declarations that the elimination of taxes on subsidized imports of corn, bean, powder milk, and sugar may well force a large number of Mexican farmers to leave their lands.
Japanese loan mere ‘grease money’ for JPEPA—militant group
4-Jan-2008 PDI
A militant fisherfolk group opposed to the ratification of the controversial Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement described as mere “grease money” the US$173 million loan granted to the Philippines by the Japanese government through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
Gender issues in the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement
4-Jan-2008 IGTN
Examines JPEPA’s implications on women’s productive and social reproductive work, and uses the framework of international care chain/care drain in analyzing the migration of Filipina health professionals abroad.
United States and Libya sign Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement
3-Jan-2008 US State Dept
The Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement is an important step in recognizing Libya’s renunciation of weapons of mass destruction, says the US State Department. It is a component of Washington’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the Maghreb and broaden US-Libya bilateral relations.
Thailand: Agreement in trade talks with Korea
3-Jan-2008 Bangkok Post
Thailand has concluded free trade talks with South Korea under the Asean-Korea free trade agreement (AKFTA) after almost a year of negotiations. Under the deal, Thailand will be given more flexibility in cutting and/or waiving its tariffs compared to other Asean nations.
Legalizing terror: Canada-Colombia "free trade"
3-Jan-2008 rabble
Interview with Manuel Rozenthal, long-time international solidarity activist and surgeon, and member of the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca, about the proposed Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement,
Mexican farmers block border with US to protest free trade accord
2-Jan-2008 Xinhua
Some 200 Mexican farmers blocked on Tuesday the Cordoba-Americas bridge linking the country with the United States to protest the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
RP may lose up to P4B in JPEPA’s 1st year - DOF
2-Jan-2008 ABS-CBN
The Philippine government stands to lose P3 billion to P4 billion in revenues in the first year alone of the implementation of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, estimates by the Department of Finance showed.