bilateralism & multilateralism

WTO decision in next 3 days may worsen FTAs’ effects on developing country farmers

28-Jul-2008 TWN

The special safeguard mechanism currently being proposed for agriculture at the WTO mini-ministerial requires large increases in imports before it can be used, does not allow tariffs to be raised sufficiently and cannot be used to protect developing country farmers from import surges due to free trade agreements.

Intellectual property in the EPA: Broad scope huge impact - Part II

17-Jul-2008 Jamaica Observer

Jamaica enacted legislation for the protection of GIs through the Protection of Geographical Indications Act of 2004. However, protection under the law strictly complies with the standards laid out in the TRIPS Agreement and does not contemplate the "TRIPS plus" and "TRIPS extra" elements incorporated in the EPA.

21-member APEC pushes trade agenda

11-Jul-2008 Manila Bulletin

The 21-member countries of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), seen to be playing a crucial role in pushing for the conclusion of the stalled Doha Development Round of the WTO, are moving ahead with its agenda of improving market access and substantial reductions in market-distorting measures in agricultural trade in light of the soaring food prices.

EU multi-level trade policy: neither coherent nor development-friendly

26-Jun-2008

The EU is demanding far-reaching trade concessions by developing countries which will help to increase their vulnerability. To merely include some paragraphs that all parties will respect and promote human and worker’s rights is just plain insufficient.

China: Free trade ahead

23-Jun-2008 China Daily

China is now involved in 12 FTA negotiations with 29 countries and regions including the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, EU, Africa and Oceania

Serving whose interests? The political economy of trade in services agreements

23-Jun-2008

There is a fundamental contradiction between the global market model and the intrinsically social nature of services

Bilateral accords quietly push neo-liberal agenda

17-Jun-2008 rabble

Right now through the European Union process there is a divide and rule strategy taking place, not only regionally but also within regions where some countries are signing bilateral trade and investment agreements and some aren’t.

Hard bargains: Bilateral trade pacts draw domestic objections

17-Jun-2008 FT

The fear of having other countries steal a march on Washington by signing their own deals may bring Congress back to the bilateral trade negotiating table.

“Free trade”, neoliberal immigration & the globalization of guestworker programs

15-Jun-2008

An analysis of how free trade and investment agreements affect migrant workers

Korea gives up renegotiating deal

5-Jun-2008 Korea Times

A senior government official indicated Thursday that the Korean government would not ask the United States to renegotiate the beef import deal. Opposition parties and the majority of the people, however, want the renegotiation.

WTO can’t adjudicate on EPA’s - Lamy

26-Apr-2008

Director-General of the World Trade Organisation has said that the world trading body would not legislate on the current bilateral free trade negotiations between the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries and the European Commission.

Civil society groups call for establishment of Commission on Globalisation

23-Apr-2008

Civil society groups have called for the establishment of a new Commission on Globalisation and Development Strategies within the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Handled with tact, FTAs can do what WTO can’t

20-Apr-2008 China Daily

Compared with a multilateral organization like the WTO, FTAs are much more convenient for China in several aspects.

Handled with tact, FTAs can do what WTO can’t

18-Apr-2008

On April 7, China and New Zealand signed a free trade agreement (FTA) covering trade in goods and services as well as investment, making it the first FTA reached by China with a developed country.

Understanding the EPA - Most Favoured Nation concession a danger for the Caribbean

15-Mar-2008 Jamaica Gleaner

So concerned is Brazil about the Caribbean EPA that it sent, on February 5, a communication to the World Trade Organisation requesting a debate. Its concern is that the arrangement agreed with the European Commission may cause nations like India, China and others to cease to negotiate with nations like the Caribbean.

Supachai: ‘An India-China FTA will be better than an India-US FTA’

10-Mar-2008 Financial Express

Interview with the UN Conference on Trade & Development’s secretary-general, and former WTO chief, Supachai Panitchpakdi.

Caricom eyes Brazil’s alert

5-Mar-2008

When Ministers of Caricom’s Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP) meet in The Bahamas tomorrow, they are expected to consider the implications for this region of reservations expressed by Brazil at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated with the European Commission (EC).

Rudd may be pinning his hopes on trade policy that is past its use-by date

4-Mar-2008

Kevin Rudd and his Trade Minister, Simon Crean, are very clear on the direction for trade liberalisation under a Labor Government.