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US sugar farmers say they will strongy oppose any changes to the FTA
5-Jan-2006 ABC
The US Sugar Alliance, representing cane and beet farmers, says it will lobby strongly against any further opening of the US market to Australian sugar. Meantime, there are calls today for Australia to scrap the free trade agreement.
GCC-India FTA talks give fillip to ‘Asian Community’
5-Jan-2006 Arab News
The regional economic diversification plan gets a boost with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and India - which signed a framework agreement for economic cooperation in August 2004 - announcing final negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) starting January 2006 to thrash out niggling issues like rules of origin and differential tariffs.
Thai-US FTA talks: Deadlock looks set to be broken
5-Jan-2006 The Nation
Thai finance officials will for the first time make an offer to open up the country’s financial services, which should make or break the proposed Thai-US free-trade agreement (FTA) during talks next week, says a Thai finance source.
Japan urges Philippines to restart EPA talks
5-Jan-2006 Asia Times
Japan has urged the Philippines to restart talks on the stalled negotiations of the bilateral Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) so they can conclude all negotiations within the month. The Philippines has remained non-committal until a case filed by civic groups with the Supreme Court, seeking a temporary restraining order to bar the Philippine government from concluding the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Japan, is resolved.
Senate confirms Richard Crowder as USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator
5-Jan-2006 Seed Today
Crowder has been president and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association since 2002. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President, International, of DEKALB Genetics Corporation — now part of Monsanto — a worldwide leader in agricultural genetics and seed biotechnology.
Vaile to fight US on sugar
5-Jan-2006 The Australian
Australia will urge the US to prise open its lucrative sugar markets as part of a fresh push to improve access for farmers under the free trade deal. The Howard Government’s renewed attempt to secure a better deal from the free trade agreement came as Acting Prime Minister Mark Vaile defended lopsided results from the first year of the pact.
United States the FTA winner one year on
4-Jan-2006
The government has blamed a stronger currency and increased competition from Asia for a disappointing first year in Australia’s new trade pact with the United States.
Exports plummet in post-FTA trade
4-Jan-2006 ABC
Government figures show Australian exports to the US have fallen since the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into force a year ago. In the 12 months to October last year, Australian exports to the United States fell by 4.7 per cent while US imports rose by 5.7 per cent.
Drug companies pressure Govt to review FTA
4-Jan-2006 ABC
The debate over the cost of medicines in Australia took a new twist today, with Acting Prime Minister Mark Vaile declaring the Government will have a second look at provisions within the Free Trade Agreement with the United States. They’re provisions that were specifically designed to keep the cost of pharmaceuticals down.
NFF backs FTA despite export figures
4-Jan-2006 ABC
The National Farmers Federation (NFF) is still backing the Australia-US free trade agreement, despite poor terms of trade in its first year of operation.
Denounce chaos in prices
4-Jan-2006 Dominican Today
National Merchants and Entrepreneurs Federation president Antonio Cruz assured today that there is generalized disarray throughout the Dominican Republic with initial implementation of the tax reform, and requested the government to reconsider enforcing it as of next July when CAFTA comes into effect.
Guatemala to strengthen Mercosur ties
4-Jan-2006 AP
Guatemala’s government - annoyed by the delay in CAFTA’s implementation and the U.S. House of Representative’s approval of a wall to keep out illegal immigrants - announced Tuesday it would seek to strengthen its relations with the Mercosur trading bloc.
Signing of BIT likely on 20th: Access to US market
4-Jan-2006 Dawn
Pakistan is seeking additional $2 billion market access from the United States and the issue is likely to be finalized after both the countries conclude their much awaited Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) here on January 20.
Japanese execs arriving to resolve JPEPA issues
4-Jan-2006 TMCnet
The Japanese are keen on resolving contentious issues on the automotive sector under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement within the month.
Caribbean welcomes single market
3-Jan-2006 Aljazeera
Six nations - Jamaica, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago - became the first full members of the Caribbean Single Market Economy as the treaty went into effect on 1 January.
Japan to pursue free trade deals with China - paper
3-Jan-2006 China Daily
Japan is likely to pursue free-trade agreements with China and India as well as Australia to give it more clout in a proposed East Asian community, a leading Japanese daily reported on Tuesday.
Ecuador, Colombia to talk on FTA
3-Jan-2006 The Daily Journal
Ecuadoran President Alfredo Palacio will travel to Bogota in January to discuss with his Colombian counterpart, Alvaro Uribe, a free trade agreement (FTA) that their countries are negotiating with the United States.
China : Mainland to negotiate FTA with 27 nations: Bo Xilai
3-Jan-2006 Fibre2fashion.com
After remaining silent during the WTO meeting in Hong Kong, December 2005, China has decided to focus on the bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) and play a lead role in multilateral trade discussions during the year 2006.
FTA change will push drug prices up: ALP
3-Jan-2006 ABC
The Federal Opposition is warning the cost of medicines will rise if a Labor amendment designed to protect Australian drug prices in the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is removed.
Morocco becomes 1st MENA country to have free trade with US
2-Jan-2006 Xinhua
Morocco became the first country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to have free trade with the United States after the two countries’ free trade agreement came into effect on Sunday.