bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

All articles

A brief Q&A with the US trade representative
12-Dec-2009 LA Times
Ron Kirk offers a status report on pending trade agreements and an overview of the administration’s trade strategy
US senators urge renegotiation of US trade deals
1-Dec-2009 Reuters
A group of US senators urged President Barack Obama on Monday to back legislation requiring the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and a long list of other trade pacts they blame for millions of lost US manufacturing jobs.
Matrix of FTAs in the world
1-Dec-2009
Contributed by Amalinov
Back to Basics on Asian Trade
9-Nov-2009 Back to Basics on Asian Trade
The proliferation of FTAs has more costs than benefits.
S.Korea, Panama, Colombia eye US trade votes by mid-2010
5-Nov-2009 Alibaba
South Korean, Colombian and Panamanian officials said on Wednesday they hoped for U.S congressional approval of pending free trade agreements by the middle of 2010.
EU-Korea trade deal puts pressure on Obama to act
16-Oct-2009 Reuters
President Barack Obama faced increased pressure on Thursday to win approval of a free trade deal with South Korea after the European Union locked up its own pact with Asia’s third-largest market.
Trade agreements: Doing Doha down
4-Sep-2009 The Economist
Regional trade deals are no substitute for a Doha agreement. Indeed, they are its enemy, writes The Economist
Global Turn Around!
2-Sep-2009 OWINFS
Sign-on statement from the Our World Is Not For Sale network
US trade deals open markets – GAO
13-Aug-2009 Feedstuffs
The US Government Accountability Office says bilateral free trade agreements signed by the United States work: they deliver new market opportunities for America’s agriculture sector.
Obama should shift away from free trade deals -report
23-Jul-2009 Reuters
President Barack Obama should move US trade policy away from the Bush administration’s focus on bilateral free trade agreements to a new approach more in line with his economic and foreign policy goals, a report from the Democratic Leadership Coucil recommended Wednesday.
Europe trumps US, again
20-Jul-2009 WSJ
On present trends, most of Europe will soon have lower income tax rates than most of America. And now the European Union is stealing another competitive march on Washington, this time on a free trade deal with the world’s 13th largest economy, fast-growing South Korea.
US to get tough on trade, labor infractions: Kirk
16-Jul-2009 Reuters
The US government will get tough with governments that don’t live up to trade deals, including those with substandard labor practices, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk was set to announce on Thursday.
Many US House Democrats want trade policy revamp
25-Jun-2009 Washington Post
Political pressure grew on President Barack Obama to reconsider pending trade deals with Panama, Colombia and South Korea as over 100 lawmakers called on Wednesday for a massive revamp of US trade policy.
106 members of Congress introduce TRADE Act, promote a better trade model
25-Jun-2009 Mike Michaud
Endorsed by more than a dozen fair trade groups, the TRADE Act would revamp US trade policy.
US trade freeze could be slowly thawing
21-Jun-2009 Reuters
After months of little US action on trade, there are signs the issue could become more important for President Barack Obama
US should consider trade pact with EU: manufacturers
13-Jun-2009 Political Blog
A proposed trade deal between Canada and the European Union puts pressure on the United States to begin thinking about its own trade pact with Europe, U.S. manufacturers said Tuesday.
United States reviews its model bilateral investment treaty
8-Jun-2009 ITN
The United States has embarked on a review of its model bilateral investment treaty (BIT). Last updated in 2004, the US closely adheres to the model in its BIT negotiations with other countries.
EU targets free trade deals under Swedish presidency
6-Jun-2009 Tax-News
The first trade priority for the upcoming Swedish presidency of the European Union is to close the free trade agreement with South Korea
US Trade Rep promises transparency... but actions speak louder than websites
5-Jun-2009 TechDirt
The US Trade Representative has finally finished the long overdue task of relaunching its website.
Trade diplomat taps his deal-making past
31-May-2009 NY Times
Ron Kirk, the new US Trade Representative, said that he did not have “deal fever,” indicating no rush to slam together new trade pacts even if the local politician in him hates for issues with solutions to drag on.