Spotlight on negotiations of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Bangkok
Spotlight on negotiations of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Bangkok
Read the invitation (pdf)
The 23rd round of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement (a Free Trade Agreement) is taking place between 17-27 July 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. RCEP is being negotiated between the 10-member ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries and Australia, China, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and India. Notably, the RCEP countries are home to nearly 50% of the world’s population, which include some of the most impoverished and marginalised communities.
The RCEP is being negotiated in secret but leaked drafts of the negotiating text reveal provisions that could undermine access to price-lowering generic medicines, negatively impact farmers and indigenous peoples rights to seed and food sovereignty, privatise public services, push workers’ wages down, and restrict the ability of governments to regulate public policies leaving them vulnerable to international lawsuits in secret tribunals.
Civil society organisations from the RCEP negotiating countries will hold a press briefing at the FCCT on 20th July, Friday, 1.00 - 2.00 P.M. to highlight concerns regarding RCEP negotiations on human rights, intellectual property and investment rules.
Speakers:
Chalermsak Kittitrakul ( Jockey), AIDS Access Foundation , Thailand
Mongkon Duangkhiew , Alternative Agriculture Network, Thailand
Joms Salvador, Gabriela National Alliance of Women, Philippines
Neha Gupta
neha@apwld.org
+66-955 282 396
Shailly Gupta
shailly.gupta@geneva.msf.org
+41 792 031 302
