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Bahrain

New US push for Mideast free trade deal
28-Feb-2008
US officials are engaged in "informal" talks with several GCC countries on possibly concluding a Middle East Free Trade Agreement (Mefta) by 2014, it was revealed yesterday.
US benefits most from free trade pact with Bahrain
23-Dec-2007 Gulfnews
The US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has proven to be beneficial to the American side. The deal came into effect at the start of August 2006. Available statistics indicate that American exports have increased a hefty 28 per cent during the first year of FTA’s implementation. Bahrain’s exports dropped by 10 per cent in the same period.
FTA poses challenges for Bahraini working women
16-Dec-2007 Khaleej Times
Working women in Bahrain are facing many challenges and female activists predict more hardship to come in their way after the full implementation of the Free Trade Agreement between Bahrain and the United States.
Israel boycott office ’must be reopened’
5-Nov-2007 Gulfnews
A parliamentarian committee in Bahrain has called for the reopening of the Israel boycott office. Manama shut down the office in 2005 as part of the requirements by the US Congress before it ratified a free trade agreement with Bahrain
Free trade agreements come in for criticism
25-Apr-2007
Bahrain yesterday said it was a “shame” to allow agricultural issues to upstage the WTO negotiations, while Iran held that the increasing free trade pacts have undermined inter-regional dialogues and called for a regional economic and security council.
Fakhro, Monroe to lead Kingdom at MEFTA meet
26-Mar-2007
The US Ambassador William T Monroe and the Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Hassan Abdulla Fakhro will lead the Bahraini team at the Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) Trade and Investment Conference in London on March 29.
Bahrain: FTA lure for foreign firms
12-Feb-2007 Bahrain Tribune
The backers of the $1.6bn Bahrain Investment Wharf (BIW) project are using the Kingdom’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States to try and entice major firms from the economic powerhouses of China and India to set up shop in Bahrain.
Trade pact with Pakistan on way
12-Jan-2007 Gulf Daily News
Bahrain and Pakistan have vowed to step up negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which could be signed before the end of the year.
Bahrain bans strikes a month after allowing them
25-Nov-2006 Reuters
Bahrain has banned strikes and worker demonstrations in most business sectors, a month after labour law reforms banning the sacking of strikers encouraged a wave of trade union activity in the Gulf island state.
Traders still paying duty
7-Oct-2006
Bahrain businesses trading with the US may still be paying duty on customs-free products because they haven’t amended their paperwork. Bahrain Export Development Society (BEDS) chairman Dr Yousef Mashal said 96 per cent of Bahrain’s industrial and agricultural products now received immediate duty-free access to the US markets because of the Bahrain-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA), but some traders were missing out.
FTAs ring alarm bells to Bahrain, Oman
6-Oct-2006
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bahrain and the US has been operational since August 1, and on September 19, the US Congress approved the FTA with Oman, which will come into effect soon. The media coverage of the two deals in the region have been limited to official announcements without pointing out the serious dangers these FTAs pose to the GCC customs union.
Joint business council opens in Washington
12-Sep-2006
US Ambassador William Monroe yesterday announced the inauguration of a Bahraini-US Business Council in Washington on Thursday under the patronage of Bahraini Ambassador Nasser Al Balooshi.
Garments industry ’has to wait for gains’
8-Sep-2006
The garments industry may not see the benefits of the new Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US until early next year, said an industry leader.
Bahrain-US free trade panel discusses future plans
6-Sep-2006
The Bahrain-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Implementation Committee yesterday held its first meeting since the international trade agreement was ratified on August 1.
Bilateral gains implied by US-Bahrain FTA
7-Aug-2006 Gulf News
Speaking to members of the United States Trade Representatives (USTR) in Washington last month, I learned that Congress supported the FTA with Bahrain partly because it posed no threat to American farm industry.
Bahrain-US free trade pact comes into force
3-Aug-2006
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bahrain and the US comes into force today.
HM issues orders to begin implementation of FTA
31-Jul-2006
HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, on Friday, gave his royal orders to begin implementing the Bahrain US FTA as from August 1, 2006.
FTA ’will open new era of ties’
5-Jul-2006
US-Bahrain relations will enter a new era when the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) comes into force in the coming weeks, said US Ambassador William T Monroe yesterday.
FTAs: Much more than trade pacts
29-Jun-2006
In keeping with the global trend, it is free trade agreement (FTA) talks galore in the Gulf. Apart from a deal with Lebanon, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are collectively and individually negotiating FTAs with the United States, European Union and India at present.
New trademark law
19-Jun-2006
Bahrain is set to join the Trademark Law Treaty and Regulations enacted in Geneva, Switzerland in 1994.