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EU hails Balkan free trade deal as milestone
31-Oct-2006 IWPR
The drive to create a free trade area in the Western Balkans ended more or less successfully on October 20, after negotiations closed on extending the Central European Free Trade Area, CEFTA. Trade integration is nothing new for the Western Balkans, where countries have signed at least 32 bilateral agreements freeing the movement of goods and services. “CEFTA will turn the spaghetti bowl into a lasagne,” said an EC official.
India widens scope of Singapore trade
31-Oct-2006 Business Standard
India will offer over 250 additional items in the tariff liberalisation programme under its bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with Singapore.
Dominican trade agreement with US contemplates extending patents by 3 years
31-Oct-2006 Dominican Today
Legislation proposed for implementing the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the United States (DR-CAFTA), presented to the Congress by the central government, contemplates a three-year extension beyond the 20 currently in force, for invention patents protection established in the Industrial Property law 20-00.
EU members to visit Kaesong complex
31-Oct-2006 Korea Times
The EU delegates and South Korean officials will discuss levying a preferential tariff on Kaesong products for a South Korea-EU free trade agreement (FTA).
Ecuador: Canada seeks to start free-trade talks by year-end
30-Oct-2006 NASDAQ
Canada has proposed starting official talks with Ecuador on a bilateral free-trade agreement before the end of 2006, the Andean nation’s Foreign Ministry said Friday in a press statement.
Anti-free trade alliance demands end to talks on US-Malaysia pact
30-Oct-2006 IHT
Dozens of placard-waving Malaysians on Monday demanded the suspension of a proposed free trade agreement between Malaysia and the United States as officials from the two countries began a new round of negotiations.
Mexico shuts the door on GM maize
30-Oct-2006 IPS
Mexico has moved to ban experimental fields of genetically modified (GM) maize. But the gateway into Mexico of transgenic maize, in the form of unlabeled grain imports, remains ajar. In 2008, as part of NAFTA, the quotas and other barriers for the entry of US-grown GM maize and beans into Mexico will be eliminated.
Bilateral biosafety bullies
30-Oct-2006 GRAIN
This new briefing from GRAIN and the African Centre for Biosafety looks at how governments, the agribusiness sector and transnational companies are increasingly using bilateral trade agreements to prise open markets for genetically modified crops.
ASEAN-China summit to work on free trade agreement encompassing one-third of world’s population
30-Oct-2006 AHN
Leaders from China and the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations will open a summit on the Chinese city of Nanning as both sides prepare the groundwork for a free trade agreement that would encompass at least one-third of the world’s population.
Keidanren to call for economic agreement with US
30-Oct-2006 Japan Times
The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) is ready to propose as early as next month that Japan and the United States sign an economic partnership agreement to abolish tariffs and boost free investment, sources said Saturday. It will be the first time the country’s most powerful business lobby has proposed a bilateral EPA with the US.
RP sponsors Asean for Jpepa-like deal
30-Oct-2006 Daily Tribune
As a bilateral agreement between Japan and Philippines on free trade has been submitted for close scrutiny by Congress over alleged provisions that would allow the dumping of toxic wastes in the country, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila is now negotiating in behalf of the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) for a similar trade liberalization deal.
Europe should study Syria incentives - lawmakers
28-Oct-2006 Reuters
The European Parliament has reaffirmed that Syria must respect democratic values and human rights before the Council of 25 EU member states could approve the EU-Syria Association Agreement that has been on ice for two years.
Colombia, Chile complete second round of free trade talks
28-Oct-2006 People’s Daily
Colombia and Chile on Friday completed the second round of their free trade talks, resulting in a deal to be signed by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe on Nov. 27 during a visit to Santiago.
S Korea, US FTA talks end, no progress
28-Oct-2006 UPI
South Korea and the United States ended five-day talks on a free trade deal Friday with little headway.
Farmers picket Japanese embassy over economic pact
28-Oct-2006 INQ7.net
About 20 Filipino farmers picketed outside the Japanese embassy Friday to protest the Japanese-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
Seoul pledges more screen quota cut
28-Oct-2006 Korea Times
The Korean government has pledged behind-the-scenes to accept US demands for reducing the screen quota to remove obstacles to free trade agreement (FTA) talks, according to a ministry memo obtained by The Korea Times. "Our position for the future is that Korea will by all means keep its promise to the US to maintain the reduced screening quota (or further curtail it). It is a promise between the two countries," said the memo.
Border Social Forum
28-Oct-2006 Brooklyn Bedouin
Women, men, youth, Indigenous Peoples and Nations, social organizations, unions, farmers, promoters of human rights and defenders of environmental justice in the border states of Mexico and the United States denounce the free trade agreements that attempt to do away with the food sovereignty of nations and peoples.
India restarts free trade talks with Bimstec
28-Oct-2006 Economic Times
After months of inaction, negotiations on the free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Bimstec countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand) have restarted with meetings taking place both at the official and business level in Bangkok this week.
Militant protests greet Korea-US FTA negotiations
28-Oct-2006 Party for Socialism and Liberation
Militant protests have taken place daily during the fourth round of negotiations for the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.
“Stop ROK-US FTA - making consumers exposed to serious food danger"
28-Oct-2006 VOP
While the 4th US-Kore FTA were in progress in Jeju Island, 101 scholars related to sociology issued a statement, urging the suspension of the negotiations. They noted that “the ROK-US FTA are highly universal problems directly related to the food safety and sovereignty of all people.”