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EPAs negotiations: Civil society calls for caution
Civil society organisations have called for caution as Nigeria, the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) and other African, Caribbean and Pacific(ACP) countries begin the second phase of negotiations with the European Union on the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement(EPAs).
Children of the WTO
World Trade Organization talks collapsed in July 2006 over strong internal disagreements on agricultural policy. While social activists throughout the world cheered, policy-makers in the U.S. and Canada started aggressively pursuing bilateral trade accords or Free Trade Agreements [FTAs].
Mauritian MLAs asked to stop the process of EPA
A Mauritian political party called Rezistans ek Alternativ (RA) has asked local MLAs to help in stopping the process of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) which, according to its members, Mauritius and fourteen other African countries have agreed to negotiate with the European Union, without realising the implication of such an agreement.
10 reasons to challenge the Pacific EPA
Do the Pacific Islands’ negotiators genuinely hope they can negotiate a beneficial Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union or are they simply going through the motions and doing what is required of them under the Cotonou Agreement 2000? In the secretive chess game of trade negotiations it is impossible to know.
«EFTA FTAs may have serious consequences on Thailand and Indonesia» tell civil society representatives to EFTA governments
Lobby travel from Indonesian and Thai civil society in EFTA countries (Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Oslo)
Development compatibility of EPAS - A critical civil society review of the EU-ACP negotiations on Regional Free Trade Agreements
The conference focuses on three particular problem areas of EPAs. Are EPAs endangering food sovereignty and rural development of mostly agrarian oriented ACP states? Are EPAs in their current form undermining autonomous initiatives of regional integration? What effects are to be expected from a broad liberalisation agenda including the so called "new issues” of investments, competition and public procurement?
SOMO Briefing Paper: EPA negotiations do not promote the right investment policies in Africa
The EU strongly advocates that attracting more foreign investment is a solution to African development problems and that African countries therefore need to include strict investment liberalisation measures in EPAs.
SOMO Briefing Paper: The risks and dangers of liberalisation of services in Africa under EPAs
The European Union (EU) is negotiating with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries for a new free trade agreement: the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). The liberalisation of services and therefore opening the market for foreign investors is part of these negotiations.
USA: Labor & textile groups demand punitive measures against Jordan
The US Trade Representative has been urged by the largest US labor organization and textile group to file a complaint against Jordan for its failure to check companies from exploiting their laborers and subsequently cheating them on wages. Since the US-Jordan FTA was signed between the two nations in December 2001, this is the first time any US business group has come together with labor demanding action under the treaty.
Thailand: Restore basic civil rights, NGOs urge
Thailand’s new NGO Network for Political and Social Reform says it wants the military-led Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy and the interim government to scrap free-trade agreements and the privatisation of state enterprises.
Uruguay marches on free trade scam
Hundreds of Uruguayan workers marched July 18 in front of the Economy Ministry in this capital to reject signing of a US free trade treaty.
Uruguayan workers strike for pay hikes, against U.S. trade deal
Uruguay Labor groups demanding higher wages and an end to Uruguayan efforts for a trade deal with Washington walked off the job for four hours on Thursday, though public transport ran normally and shops and offices stayed open.
Labor group calls strike for Nov. 15
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions may stage an indefinite strike beginning Nov. 15 in protest over new labor reform bills and free trade agreement talks with the United States.
Organizations release monitoring report assessing impact of CAFTA ’free’ trade agreement
Members of Congress, solidarity organizations, leaders of the DC-area Salvadoran community, and student and faith-based groups held a press conference to announce the release of a report monitoring the effects of the US-Dominican Republic Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).
Philippines and Japan sign FTA Accord - For Arroyo, the future of Filipinos is cheap - Migrante-Japan
For Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the future of the Filipino people has a very cheap price. So cheap that she has opted to sell it to Japan by further opening up the local economy in exchange for the annual deployment of 400-500 caregivers and nurses to Japan.
Seattle protests against US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (PSL)
Two major coalitions have formed to oppose the KORUS FTA and organize protest activities during the negotiations: the Korean Alliance Against Korea-US FTA (KoA), based in South Korea, and Korean Americans Against War And Neoliberalism (KAWAN), based in the United States.
Bilateral Trade deal between Philippines and Japan should not be signed in Helsinki!
Filipino and Japanese groups participating in the Asia Europe People’s Forum in Helsinki expressed their strong opposition to the reported plan of Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi and Philippine President Arroyo to finalize the deal over the contentious Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement on the sidelines of the Asia Europe Meeting in Helsinki next week.
Fighting FTAs: workshop summary report
A summary report of the Fighting FTAs international strategy workshop (Bangkok, 27-29 July 2006)
Trade-talk foes hit the streets
Korean workers and farmers take the front line of a demonstration Wednesday against U.S. trade talks with South Korea. The midday march briefly stopped downtown traffic as demonstrators laid down in the streets around Westlake Park.
Trade talk protesters promise no violence
Mention "Seattle" and "trade talks" in the same sentence and you’ll send a chill through residents who remember December 1999, when destructive riots broke out during the World Trade Organization meeting.