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Sri Lanka

Indo-Sri Lanka FTA: Myths and realities
1-Sep-2008 Financial Times
This article is written in recognizing the numerous opinions floating around in Sri Lanka in respect of the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India. Most of the public discussions and paper articles on CEPA, which we see today, are either based on personal or political sentiments or absolute analysis of numerical figures. The whole purpose of this article is to give a holistic and comparative analysis based on facts and figures explaining the current status of the FTA with India.
Sri Lankan MPs clash over CEPA with India
6-Aug-2008 Economic Times
Sparks flew in the Sri Lankan parliament as supporters and critics clashed over the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India.
CEPA draws flak
5-Aug-2008
The political parties debated the pros and cons of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Parliament yesterday with the JVP and its breakaway group which is now called the National Freedom Front (NFF) asking the government to scrap it.
Dhaka mulls free trade pacts with India, Pak, Sri Lanka
5-Aug-2008 Economic Times
Bangladesh has decided to sign bilateral free trade agreements (FTA) with three major South Asian trading partners - India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - in view of the failure of multilateral trading arrangements to serve the country’s interests.
Decision on FTA with India, Pakistan, Lanka likely today
2-Aug-2008
The government will finally take a decision in a meeting today on signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) with its neighbouring trading partners India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Stalling CEPA a sensible move
28-Jul-2008
It would have almost happened. President Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were slated to sign the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries sometime during the SAARC summit at the beginning of next month. Fortunately wiser counsel prevailed, if one might employ a rather weathered phrase.
Sri Lanka develops cold feet on trade pact with India
28-Jul-2008 Live Mint
An India-Sri Lanka trade and investment agreement billed as a landmark is being delayed, ostensibly because the island nation’s President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, an avowed Sinhala nationalist, doesn’t want to be seen as authoring such a close partnership with New Delhi, diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
Local businesses unhappy with CEPA
20-Jul-2008 Sunday Times
A group of eminent Sri Lankan businesses went public this week objecting to the signing of the Indo-Lanka Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The local businesses are questioning the need for a CEPA agreement and are objecting to the lack of transparency in the process.
Trade pacts stifle exports to Thailand, Singapore
15-Jul-2008 BS
Growth of exports to Thailand and Singapore has slowed after India signed bilateral duty-free agreements with these countries. But a similar pact with Sri Lanka has improved the growth in India’s exports to the island nation.
CEPA between India, Sri Lankan no threat to island nation
3-Jul-2008
A leading Sri Lankan trade body has allayed fears that Indians would take over the jobs on offer in the island nation following the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Sri Lanka.
‘Indian entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka flouting spirit of FTA’
1-Jul-2008
Some of the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) the country has got into in recent years have resulted in unintended adverse consequences, primarily because of non-application of mind at the time of negotiations and signing of the agreement as also lackadaisical enforcement of rules subsequently.
US agrees to expand trade and investment with Sri Lanka
3-Jun-2008 Asian Tribune
The US-Sri Lanka TIFA Council discussed issues affecting US exports, such as Sri Lanka’s agricultural biotechnology policies, import tariffs, intellectual property rights protection, and transparency in government procurement.
Second round of negotiations on CEPA starts in Islamabad today
12-May-2008
The second round of negotiations between Srilanka and Pakistan on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) starts in Islamabad today (Tuesday).
India, Lanka services pact soon
12-May-2008 Business Standard
Talks for an agreement on enhanced market access for service sectors between India and Sri Lanka are at an advanced stage and are likely to be concluded by the month-end.
India’s Baroda and Axis Banks’ eye Sri Lanka
4-May-2008
The Sri Lankan government is forging ahead with the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which will facilitate the entry here of two Indian banks - Bank of Baroda and Axis Bank, according to senior officials at the Central Bank.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka to expand the scope of free trade agreement
15-Apr-2008 Asian Tribune
The trade agreement has opened central Asian countries adjacent to Pakistan to new Sri Lankan exports.
FTA: Pakistan, Sri Lanka for enhanced trade Ties
11-Apr-2008
President Pervez Musharraf and President Mahinda Rajapakse of Sri Lanka on Friday agreed on improving their trade and commerce ties with specific focus on continuing Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Vanaspati cools after edible oil import duty cut
25-Mar-2008
The government move on lowering customs duty on edible oils for pushing down its prices has started yielding positive results. On the heels of getting a huge relief from reduced import duty on crude palm oil (CPO) from 45% to 20%, which serves as raw material of vanaspati, vegetable fat producers have slashed their product prices by Rs 4-5/kg.
EU warns Sri Lanka trade depends on rights record
19-Mar-2008
The European Union has told Sri Lanka it has "very serious concerns" about civil war human rights abuses and that lucrative trade concessions could be at risk if they continue.
Sri Lanka could gain more in next phase of trade liberalization: study
15-Mar-2008
A new study on a south Asian regional trade deal has said Sri Lanka will gain more in the next phase of liberalisation but the island’s private sector representatives have expressed scepticism about the outcome.