bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Articles by language

English
Tagalog
’Free trade’ drives Mexicans north
24-May-2007 Seattle Post Intelligencer
While Democratic leaders and President Bush do the hard sell on bipartisan immigration reform, they are now pushing secret, anti-worker, anti-environment trade agreements that will only exacerbate US immigration problems.
Japan begins studies on FTAs with US, EU
24-May-2007 Japan Today
Japan has begun considering bilateral free trade agreements with both the United States and the European Union, with specific plans. If the studies proceed smoothly, Japan and the United States are expected to start FTA negotiations "around the summer of 2009 after the launch of a new US administration," a senior METI official said.
Mass demonstrations in Colombia
24-May-2007 Prensa Latina
Hundreds of thousands of Colombians joined the national strike in a score of cities on Wednesday to protest against the US-Colombia free trade agreement and Uribe’s neoliberal policies, and to support public education.
NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state disputes
23-May-2007 CCPA
Table of all disputes and their status as of 1 March 2007
South Korea, US may release full text of FTA on Friday, official says
23-May-2007 Yonhap
South Korea and the United States have been in discussions to release the full text of a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) on Friday, a senior trade official said Wednesday, amid an indication that the deal’s renegotiation is imminent.
Pres. Roh says Seoul’s FTA with Beijing inevitable
23-May-2007 Chosun Ilbo
Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said Seoul’s signing of a free-trade pact with Beijing is inevitable but the timing must be right.
Italy supports Pakistan’s case for FTA with EU
23-May-2007 IRNA
Italy has strongly supported Pakistan’s case for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union and given assurance to encourage Italian investment in Pakistan.
US trade agreements with Sub-Saharan African countries
23-May-2007 USTR
The United States currently has no FTAs with countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Bush Administration is pursuing alternative means of strengthening its trade and investment relationships with key African partners, including trade and investment framework agreements (TIFAs), bilateral investment treaties (BITs), and a proposed trade and investment cooperation agreement (TICA).
US and Indonesia announce steps to deepen trade and investment relations
23-May-2007 USTR
United States Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab and Indonesia’s Minister of Trade Mari Pangestu today agreed to formally establish working groups intended to deepen US-Indonesia economic relations in four key areas: intellectual property rights, agricultural and industrial goods, services and investment.
Trade: African countries fight EU for survival
23-May-2007 IPS
Anti-poverty campaigners have likened trade negotiations between the European Union (EU) and several regions in Africa to a boxing match between a schoolboy novice and a heavyweight champion.
Colombia rebels target US trade pact at peace talks
23-May-2007 Reuters
Colombia’s second largest guerrilla movement said on Tuesday it would agree to a cease-fire if the government dropped a free-trade pact signed in November with the United States.
RP-Japan pact won’t allow toxic dumping
23-May-2007 ABS-CBN
Japan will give formal assurance to Philippine senators that it will not dump toxic and hazardous waste on the Philippines in an attempt to convince them to ratify the controversial Japan- Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
India, New Zealand to initiate free trade pact
22-May-2007 FreshPlaza
India and New Zealand have initiated steps to ink a free trade agreement (FTA) but it could be a while before this becomes a reality.
Prime minister rules out FTA renegotiation with US
22-May-2007 Yonhap
Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday that his government will not renegotiate the free trade agreement (FTA) with the US, even if the US government requests it.
Dealing with domestic conflicts in FTA negotiations: Lessons from the Korea-Chile FTA and NAFTA
22-May-2007 PECC
The most significant constraint in FTA negotiations is not international negotiation between two governments, but domestic negotiation with various domestic constituencies, such as organized farmers and labor, the national assembly, NGOs, etc. This paper analyzes the domestic conflicts that arise in FTA negotiations in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly focusing on the US, Japan, China and Korea.
Australia-Japan Free Trade Agreement - A bad deal should be stopped
22-May-2007 CUJ
A Joint Statement from Australian and Japanese people
Japanese investors want RP-Japan trade pact ratified
21-May-2007 PDI
200 Japanese businessmen expressed that they would invest in the Philippines only after the approval of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
Keidanren chief calls for Japan-EU free trade pact
21-May-2007 Kyodo
The head of Japan’s largest big-business group urged the government Monday to strike a free trade agreement with the European Union to alleviate impediments to two-way trade and ensure a freer flow of invesment funds.
S. Korean business group calls on gov’t to swiftly start free trade talks with Australia
21-May-2007 Yonhap
South Korea’s top business organization on Monday urged the government to swiftly start free trade talks with Australia, saying a deal would be in the interest of both sides.
Mexican workers call for a continental workers’ campaign for living wages and social justice
20-May-2007 ZNet
A coalition of Mexican unions has now proposed a strategy of struggle that could open up the door to a more class-wide and continental approach to union and workers’ struggles, starting in the three NAFTA countries.