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Fast-track: Enabler of the “free trade” agenda
28-Aug-2013 New American
“I have heard the argument that transparency would undermine the administration’s policy to complete the trade agreement because public opposition would be significant,” a US senator wrote. “This argument is exactly backwards. If transparency would lead to widespread opposition to a trade agreement, then that trade agreement should not be the policy of the United States.”
US economic hegemony: Consolidation and deepening of the Pacific Alliance trade bloc
28-Aug-2013 Be Your Own Leader
In many ways, the Pacific Alliance represents a resurgence of the failed U.S. initiated FTAA which was part of an agenda to consolidate corporate control.
Colombian government to negotiate with striking farmers
27-Aug-2013 BBC
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos says his government will enter into negotiations with agricultural workers as their strike enters its ninth day.
Building momentum: The anti-free trade strike in Colombia
27-Aug-2013 Counterpunch
As Colombian peasants ended their eighth day of an anti-free trade agreement strike last night by forcing President Juan Manuel Santos to the negotiating table, thousands of protesters banging pots and pans filled the main plaza of the capital Bogota in solidarity.
Pakistan: Bilateral investment treaty model
27-Aug-2013 Dawn
Keen to attract direct foreign capital, the government of Pakistan has evolved a ‘model template’ that would serve as the basis for negotiations for future bilateral investment treaties.
South Africa terminates its bilateral investment treaty with Spain
27-Aug-2013 Lexology
This is the second BIT terminated as part of South Africa’s planned review of its investment treaties
Growth in global disputes brings big paychecks for law firms
27-Aug-2013 NY Times
Debt woes, broken contracts and soured business deals may cost global investors billions in losses and create seemingly never-ending headaches for policy makers. But there is a set of specialists profiting from such geopolitical problems: arbitration lawyers.
Malaysia should abandon TPP talks, ex-PM Mahathir says
27-Aug-2013 Kyodo
The Malaysian government should pull out from the trans-Pacific free trade talks, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Monday, calling the proposed trade pact a US tool to extend its hegemony.
Proposed US-EU trade deal may impact business in GCC: report
27-Aug-2013 Gulf Times
The proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the US and Europe will impact the GCC region’s aviation, energy and financial services’ sectors, a report has shown.
China keen to review and improve FTA with ASEAN: PM Lee
27-Aug-2013 CNA
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is in China for a one-week visit, has said that China is keen to review and improve its Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN and that Singapore will do its part in this development.
Slow progress in Africa free trade talks
27-Aug-2013 Business Day
Negotiations between three trade blocs in Africa to create a free trade area were running behind schedule in terms of reaching their 2014 deadline but were nevertheless progressing, South Africa Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said last week.
Kenya bracing for Comesa sugar imports
26-Aug-2013
Kenya’s sugar sector is in limbo as the COMESA safeguard period nears its end. COMESA is the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.
Car handouts ’hindering FTA with China’
26-Aug-2013
The executive chairman of the company behind Australia’s top-selling cheese brand has warned that the Australian government’s support for the car industry is holding up a free-trade agreement with China.
US stance on TPP criticized
26-Aug-2013 Yomiuri Shimbun
After the 19th round of the Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral trade negotiations concluded in Brunei on Friday, Malaysia and Singapore openly expressed opposition to U.S. demands, including its push for conclusion of the talks by year-end, indicating a rough road lies ahead for the negotiations.
US pledges patience as Pacific free trade talks stumble
26-Aug-2013 iNet Bridge
Representatives from countries negotiating a free trade pact that will cover nearly 40 percent of global economic output said on Friday that differences between them persisted, as the US sought to assuage concerns over a looming year-end deadline.
EU delegation in Peru to evaluate FTA progress
26-Aug-2013 Bernama
A delegation of the European Economic and Social Committee will arrive on Monday in Peru in order to evaluate the progress on the implementation of the Multi-Party Trade Agreement between the European Union and the Andean country.
Colombia nationwide strike against ’free trade,’ privatization, poverty
26-Aug-2013 Common Dreams
At least 200,000 people blocked roads and launched protests against a US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement and devastating policies of poverty and privatization pushed by US-backed right-wing President Juan Manuel Santos.
Hundreds of Minnesota activists march against free trade deal
26-Aug-2013 Workday Minnesota
Hundreds of labor, fair trade, environmental and community activists marched through downtown Minneapolis Tuesday to protest the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a massive trade deal that could jeopardize American jobs, wages, consumer safety, health care and environmental standards.
Trans-Pacific Partnership talks hit roadblock over anti-smoking policies
25-Aug-2013
Fast-moving trade talks aimed at reaching an ambitious Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal have hit a major snag over anti-smoking policies, as divisions emerged over a proposal critics say would expose governments to lawsuits from tobacco companies.
Malaysian civil society’s red lines on the TPPA negotiations
25-Aug-2013 Malaysia Kini
The Malaysian government must not sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) given the ‘Red Lines’ issued by civil society groups are not accepted by the other TPPA countries.