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Internal divisions force Belgium to abstain from EU-Mercosur vote
10-Dec-2025 Belga
Belgium will have to abstain from voting on the new EU-Mercosur free trade agreement because its various governments have not reached a consensus.
OIC nations’ need for fairer investor-state dispute reforms
10-Dec-2025 The Express Tribune
UN prepares for key ISDS reforms, OIC countries strive for balance between investor protection and sovereignty.
Critical minerals trade agreements put profits over human rights and the environment, warn 35+ organizations
10-Dec-2025 Public Citizen
Public Citizen joins 35 civil society, environmental, faith, and human rights organizations today in calling on the Trump administration to halt any ongoing negotiations on critical minerals agreements.
Kenya: Plans to extend Agoa under way, says Mudavadi
10-Dec-2025 Zawya
Kenya is pursuing a bilateral deal with the US to replace the stalled Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) even as President Donald Trump promised a one-year extension of the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa), which allows them preferential access to the key market.
PAPSS COWRY Lagos 2025: Africa stakes its claim on the future of payments
9-Dec-2025 Technext
Since its public debut in January 2022, PAPSS has matured rapidly, now connecting 19 countries, 160 commercial banks, and 15 national switches, allowing cross-border transactions to clear in local currencies within a maximum of 120 seconds.
Dutch court freezes TurkStream assets over Crimea dispute
9-Dec-2025 Harici
In a case concluded in November 2023, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ordered Russia to pay $207.8 million in compensation, along with interest and arbitration costs, to Akhmetov’s company for the expropriation of its assets in Crimea.
Israel, Costa Rica sign FTA eliminating over 90% of tariffs, expanding bilateral trade
9-Dec-2025 The Jerusalem Post
Israel and Costa Rica signed a Free Trade Area agreement on Monday, marking a significant milestone in economic cooperation between the two countries.
Mercosur: Parliament Committee calls for measures to protect EU agriculture
9-Dec-2025 European Interest
The International Trade Committee has formally adopted its position on safeguard mechanisms for agricultural imports under the trade agreement with Mercosur countries.
What’s next for the USMCA review
9-Dec-2025 Politico
The next big milestone on the way to the mandatory review of USMCA in 2026 is a report that USTR is required to send to key congressional committees by early January.
Frozen assets, hot claims: How Russian oligarchs and other investors sue over sanctions
9-Dec-2025 European Trade Justice Coalition
Economic sanctions against Russia are now being challenged by Russian oligarchs and companies in private tribunals using a mechanism written into investment treaties.
Swiss government adopts draft negotiating mandate for US trade deal
8-Dec-2025 Reuters
The Swiss government has adopted a draft negotiating mandate for a trade agreement with the United States.
Qatar, Uruguay sign investment protection and tax treaties to deepen economic ties
8-Dec-2025 Arab News
Qatar and Uruguay signed two economic agreements aimed at strengthening investment flows and eliminating double taxation as Doha moves to expand its network of international trade partners.
Pacific trade pact PACER Plus extended for five more years
8-Dec-2025 RNZ
The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus will be renewed for another five years, after a meeting of ministers in the Solomon Islands last weekend.
China, 5 Pacific Island countries sign framework agreement to upgrade economic partnership: MOFCOM
8-Dec-2025 Global Times
China and the relevant Pacific Island countries agreed to carry out flexible and pragmatic negotiations on specific issues such as trade in goods and services, investment, rules, and practical cooperation.
EU–Mercosur: trade first, standards later?
8-Dec-2025 Foodwatch
In mid-December, EU governments will decide whether to move ahead with the controversial EU–Mercosur trade deal. It risks increasing low-standard imports, putting farmers under more pressure, and weakening health and environmental protections.
Does Pakistan know what to do with trade agreements?
8-Dec-2025 Business Recorder
The prime minister may describe the Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as being in its “final stages”, but the real question is whether the country knows what to do with trade agreements at all.
India-Russia talks focus on free trade agreement with Eurasian Economic Union
8-Dec-2025 ANI News
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri noted that PM Modi and President Putin discussed fast-tracking the India-EAEU Free Trade Agreement (EAEU: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan) to address India’s trade deficit. Terms of reference were finalized during EAM S. Jaishankar’s November Moscow visit.
Bangladesh keen to pursue FTA with Thailand: Adviser Bashir
8-Dec-2025 Hindustan Times
While Bangladesh Commerce Adviser enthusiastically touted a potential FTA with Thailand as a game-changer for maritime and logistics connectivity—aiming to supercharge bilateral trade and investment—such optimism warrants scrutiny amid Bangladesh’s persistent economic hurdles like infrastructure bottlenecks and regulatory red tape.
Türkiye, Egypt move forward on expanding D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement
6-Dec-2025 Türkiye Today
Trade Minister Omer Bolat announced that Türkiye and member states took “important and concrete steps” toward strengthening and expanding the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) during his visit to Egypt.
Investor–State arbitration under investment laws: Risks and policy lessons
5-Dec-2025 UNCTAD
Arbitral decisions under national investment laws remain far less studied than the extensive jurisprudence on treaty-based investor–State dispute settlement (ISDS) cases.