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L’accord bilatéral entre l’UE et l’Algérie reste bloqué
5-Feb-2008 Le Maghreb
M. Mandelson a souligné que l’accord d’association, qui est "une base" de développement des relations bilatérales entre l’Algérie et l’UE, ne fonctionne pas bien actuellement.
Look to Europe, not the US
5-Feb-2008 Borneo Post
Negotiations on a free trade agreement between Malaysia and the United States have hit a sticky patch. There are 58 issues still unresolved and no fixed date scheduled for the sixth round of talks.
EU cool to free trade deal with Canada
5-Feb-2008 CanWest
The European Union, being pressured to support the launch of free trade negotiations at the next Canada-EU annual summit in Montreal this fall, is showing only lukewarm enthusiasm for the idea.
Malawi: Caught between two economic blocs
31-Jan-2008 IPS
Malawi finally has to face up to the dilemma of choosing between being a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) or to stick with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) if it is to continue receiving funding from the European Union.
No to corporate Europe - Yes to global justice!
30-Jan-2008 OWINFS
Statement from Seattle to Brussels Network calling for joint strategies to halt current negotiations seeking to implement “Free” Trade Agreements (FTAs) between Europe and the rest of the world; and consolidating the struggles against European transnational corporations, and deepening the process of constructing alternatives, to reclaim the right to food, education, health and other basic services.
S. Korea, EU spar over ’rules of origin’
29-Jan-2008 Korea Times
Under EU-suggested rules, a product would be considered as coming from a trading partner only when at least 60 percent of the value of the finished item is added in that country. South Korean negotiators want the ratio to be lowered to 40 percent, as a number of manufacturers in the country outsource many components from neighboring countries such as China to cut costs.
Free trade with EU entails endless conditions
27-Jan-2008 Gulf News
It seems that more time is needed before the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and 27-member European Union sign a long-awaited free trade agreement. Qatar’s deputy premier and minister of energy and industry Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah recently raised the alarm bells, speaking of "endless" EU conditions.
Europe supports Morocco’s EU partnership aspirations
25-Jan-2008 Maghrebia
Morocco invited European Union leaders to Rabat on Monday to discuss the transformation of its current Association Agreement into "advanced status" with the EU. The European ministers in attendance underlined their support for the Moroccan initiative.
Which India, Mr Brown?
22-Jan-2008 The Guardian
The EU’s stated aim is to use its planned free trade agreement to open up new Indian markets to European exports, especially in those areas which have traditionally been closed to foreign companies. India, which aims to win opportunities for its own exports, has asked that it be allowed some flexibility in opening up its domestic markets in order to protect the most vulnerable sectors of its economy. The EU has refused to grant India any such leeway.
Ecowas EPA - the facts and the falacies
22-Jan-2008 AllAfrica.com
From Ken Ukaoha, National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS)
EU keen to renegotiate Mauritania fish deal
22-Jan-2008 Reuters
European Commission experts will head to Mauritania later this week to renegotiate the EU’s most valuable fishing deal with another country. The European Union has signed more than 20 bilateral fishing agreements, nearly all with developing countries and mostly in Africa, that give the EU a substantial extra supply of fish. The deal with Mauritania is the largest and most valuable.
EU eyes new bilateral pact with Vietnam by next year
22-Jan-2008 Thanh Nien
EU members are keen to press ahead with the bilateral Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Vietnam. Replacing a 1995 pact, the proposed new agreement will cover areas ranging from trade and investment to science and technology, education, culture, justice, the environment and security.
Gulf lacks coordination on key issues in free trade talks
22-Jan-2008 Gulf News
GCC countries need to have a strong coordinated stance in the free trade talks with the European Union, top Arab officials demanded on Sunday. "The Europeans get the lion’s share out of any deal they break in the GCC, while we incur the losses and burdens," said Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, the Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry.
Canada-Europe free trade touted by Charest
19-Jan-2008 Canwest News Service
A Canada-Europe free trade agreement is a win-win proposition, Quebec Premier Jean Charest said Friday while dismissing a former senior Canadian trade negotiator’s assertion that a transatlantic accord is "silly" and potentially destructive. Charest, after a meeting with French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, said he wants to get the Canada-Europe free trade ball rolling by striking a Quebec-France labour mobility agreement.
EPA means economic enslavement
18-Jan-2008 Pambazuka News
Many free trade agreements have been signed and enacted into law by capitalist governments at the back of the working people. This is because the working people in Africa and other third world countries do not have political platform of their own.
EU, Ukraine agree on final terms for Kiev’s WTO accession
17-Jan-2008 Xinhua
As a result, the European Union will now begin negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement with Ukraine
EU-Caribbean FTA (2007)
16-Jan-2008 Norman Girvan
As initialled on 16 Dec 2007 and signed on 15 Oct 2008
Implications of the Cariforum-EC EPA
16-Jan-2008 Norman Girvan
The Cariforum-EC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is more than just a trade agreement: its scope embraces many subjects that have up to now been solely or mainly within national and regional jurisdiction. As a legally binding international instrument it embodies a far higher degree of supranational governance than that of Caricom. It will, inevitably, condition the scope and content of future agreements made between Caricom and other major trading partners and the region’s stance in WTO negotiations.
Olive oil imports set to rise post India-EU FTA
14-Jan-2008 FE
The proposed India-EU free trade agreement may open doors for easy import of olive oil from Europe. Major olive oil exporting countries like Spain, Italy, and Greece are insisting upon India to reduce its duty, remove non-tariff barriers and other local taxes and levies and marketing restrictions like maximum retail price system that guarantee a 35% margin to the retailer.
India, EU to make trade pact offers in February
13-Jan-2008 Business Standard
Even as experts doubt the possibility of a “deep free trade agreement” between India and the European Union (EU), both sides are likely to exchange offers on goods and services by the end of the next month.