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Put the brakes on the EU-Central America trade deal!
3-Jun-2009 WDM
Right now, the EU-Central America Association Agreement is being actively negotiated and the European Commission is desperate to get it finalised by July. Yet, there are many concerns from civil society in both Central America and the European Union about the pace and content of these trade negotiations. Concerns are being voiced by some Central American governments too.
Namibia: ’You Can’t Smoke Cigars in Brussels and Bulldoze Us’
2-Jun-2009 IPS
Namibia will sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) when the outstanding contentious issues have been resolved through new wording in the texts of the interim EPA, says the country’s trade and industry minister Hage Geingob.
Another shift in deadline
1-Jun-2009 Vanguard
Nigeria has expressed doubts about its readiness to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) this month with the European Union (EU).
Southern Africa still kicking against controversial EPA
29-May-2009 IPS
High-level talks at a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) meeting in Gaborone last week failed to produce an agreement on the signing of the interim economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union.
India firm on duty-free access to EU market
28-May-2009 Business Standard
India will stick to its demand for duty-free access to 95 per cent of the outward trade from India to the European Union (EU), against 90 per cent of that from the EU to India, for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a top government official from the commerce ministry said.
EU-Andean talks inch forward, but Ecuador threatens to pull out
27-May-2009 ICTSD
Negotiations toward a trade-opening deal between the EU and a group of Andean countries hit another snag this week when Ecuador’s president publicly denounced the talks, calling them ‘biased’.
EPA lessons and Canadian FTA
27-May-2009 Norman Girvan
Lessons from the EU-Caribbean FTA negotiating process in view of a possible Canada-CARICOM FTA, by Norman Girvan
EU free trade secondary to Asia pacts: Al Mansouri
27-May-2009 Gulf News
The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is concentrating on trade talks with East Asia after negotiations with the European Union stalled, Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, said.
ECOWAS, EU free trade agreement on a cliff hanger
27-May-2009 The Guardian
There were strong indications last week that the free trade agreement between Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union may not be signed before its subsisting deadline-June 30th 2009 because of the need to protect the collective regional interest of ECOWAS States.
EU and Korea fail to conclude free trade deal
25-May-2009 EU Observer
Leaders from the European Union and South Korea called for a quick conclusion to the ongoing discussions over a free trade agreement after a summit between the two sides in Seoul on Saturday (23 May) failed to produce a breakthrough.
Ecuador president nixes EU free trade deal
25-May-2009 Euronews 24
Ecuador will not sign a free trade deal with the European Union, President Rafael Correa said, criticizing the tenor of talks between the two. The European Union can give whatever pretty name it wants, but we are headed toward a free trade agreement, and we will not accept that, Correa said on Saturday.
Guyana’s opposition to Economic Partnership Agreement leads to loss of 6M Euros
25-May-2009 KNews
It is a ‘striking’ coincidence that most of the difficulties encountered in the implementation of European Union budget support came shortly after Guyana adopted a position that was critical of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), according to the government
EU-Asean FTA not good for RP rice sector, says study
23-May-2009 Philippine Star
The European Union-Association of South East Asian Nations (EU-ASEAN) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) may pose difficulties for the Philippine rice sector while favoring that of Thailand.
EU wants to expand trade ties with Pakistan
22-May-2009 Dawn
European Commission Ambassador Jan De KOK has said that the European Union was seriously considering on broadening and deepening of its trade relations with Pakistan.
ECOWAS gives fresh terms for free trade with EU
20-May-2009 Guardian
Forty days to the June 30, 2009 signing of the free trade agreement between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union (EU), the sub-Saharan bloc has raised fresh issues that need to be resolved before the pact is sealed.
NZ, EU to explore bilateral agreement
19-May-2009 Voxy
New Zealand and the European Union are exploring the benefits of a comprehensive bilateral agreement covering political, security and economic areas, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today.
EC notes lack of Asean commitments for FTA, is open to bilateral deals
18-May-2009 Business Mirror
THE European Commission said it has not been getting commitments from the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations in the negotiations for a free-trade agreement but welcomed member countries of Asean to push for bilateral deals with the regional bloc.
What is Harper getting Canada into by negotiating a deeper ’economic partnership agreement’ with the European Union?
14-May-2009 Vue Weekly
The current Canada-European Union free trade negotiations could fundamentally change the way the Canadian economy works and our local communities govern themselves more than any previous trade agreement, including NAFTA.
EU policies deepen jobs crisis
14-May-2009 OneWorld
European free trade policies will continue to drive up job losses in the European Union and worldwide, said a British social justice group following an European Union summit to address the economic crisis’ impact on employment.
Colombia commits "crimes against humanity" as free trade pacts are debated
14-May-2009 Huffington Post
Despite the claims of the Colombian government and those in the U.S., Canada and the EU eager to consummate "free trade" pacts with that regime, the human rights situation in that country is deteriorating fast. Indeed, by key measures — the killing of unionists, extra-judicial killings by the military, and the forced displacement of civilians — Colombia’s human rights situation is amongst the worst in the world and getting worse. In the case of union killings, it remains the very worst.