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Organizations release monitoring report assessing impact of CAFTA ’free’ trade agreement
13-Sep-2006
Members of Congress, solidarity organizations, leaders of the DC-area Salvadoran community, and student and faith-based groups held a press conference to announce the release of a report monitoring the effects of the US-Dominican Republic Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).
Rann wants China FTA on COAG agenda
13-Sep-2006
The South Australian Government is pushing for debate on the proposed China free trade agreement at the next premiers’ meeting, worried the deal could hurt Australia’s manufacturing sector.
Private sector urged to speak up
13-Sep-2006
A national call has gone out to the Barbados private sector, asking it to speak out as free trade negotiations between the region and the European Union (EU) near the final phase.
Philippine FTA to reshape health care
13-Sep-2006
The free-trade agreement clinched with the Philippines on Saturday will test whether Japan is serious about opening its labor market, a change that would trade homogeneity for a more youthful workforce.
Japan-Philippines FTA (JPEPA) (2006)
13-Sep-2006
Asean wants 600 items in free trade negative list
13-Sep-2006 Economic Times
Asean has come up with a composite negative list of 600 products for the proposed Indo-Asean free trade agreement.
Farmers losing out in free trade mart
13-Sep-2006 New Straits Times
Foreign food products are making their way into the country under the Free Trade Agreements and market liberalisation, while Malaysian products are struggling to penetrate foreign markets.
EU officials to discuss Asian trade deal with Philippines
13-Sep-2006 Easy Bourse
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European trade chief Peter Mandelson will discuss plans Tuesday with Philippine officials for an ambitious trade agreement between the European Union and a group of Southeast Asian countries, EU officials said.
Mauritius to sign trade deals with India, Pak
13-Sep-2006 Gulf Times
Mauritius expects to sign trade deals with India and Pakistan in October and November, according to minutes of a cabinet meeting seen yesterday.
Hanoi sets Japan talks
13-Sep-2006 IHT
The prime ministers of Japan and Vietnam agreed Monday to launch talks on a free trade agreement between the two countries, Japanese officials said.
Uruguay at center of lively US-Venezuela chess game
13-Sep-2006 New York Times
Long taken for granted by its much larger neighbors, Uruguay suddenly finds itself one of the main fronts in the struggle between the United States and Venezuela for dominance in South America. Washington is offering a free-trade agreement that would pull Uruguay into the United States’ orbit and weaken Mercosur, the regional trade group to which Uruguay and Venezuela belong. Mr. Chávez has countered with attention-getting investments, subsidized oil, acts of charity and a growing alliance with left-wing factions of the ruling Broad Front.
Monitoring report: DR-CAFTA in Year One
13-Sep-2006 Stop CAFTA Coalition
Over the past four months members of the CAFTA Monitoring Working Group have coordinated the drafting of this report with friends and allies in Central America. While it is far too early to detail long-term trends in labor, textiles, agricultural practice and policy, investment patterns, services, and environmental consequences of CAFTA, in this report we have looked primarily at the process of implementing CAFTA since January 1, 2006 and some early trends and concerns that have emerged, many of which we will continue to monitor.
Malaysia urged to diversify trade pacts beyond Asean
13-Sep-2006 Business Times
Malaysia should diversify its trade agreements beyond its traditional trading bloc in the Asean region and focus on expanding liberalisation of trade policies to enhance its competitiveness in global trade.
Tokyo concessions bared
13-Sep-2006 Manila Standard
A free trade pact with Japan has given Philippine agricultural products like sugar wider access to the world’s second-largest economy, an agriculture official said yesterday.
‘Kaesong Complex Agreement Unlikely in FTA Talks’
12-Sep-2006
Many U.S. experts think South Korea and the United States are unlikely to produce an agreement regarding the Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea in the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, the results of a survey showed yesterday.
Joint business council opens in Washington
12-Sep-2006
US Ambassador William Monroe yesterday announced the inauguration of a Bahraini-US Business Council in Washington on Thursday under the patronage of Bahraini Ambassador Nasser Al Balooshi.
Democrats outline plans for trade and investment
12-Sep-2006
Trade and investment will be an integral part of the Democrat Party’s economic policies to convince the private sector of Thailand’s sustainable development.
Japan eyes investment treaty with Cambodia, Laos
12-Sep-2006 Kyodo
Japan is considering starting negotiations on signing a bilateral investment treaty with Cambodia and Laos to promote the entry of Japanese businesses in the developing economies’ markets.
Pakistan-US talks on Bilateral Investment Treaty next month
12-Sep-2006 Asia Pulse
Pakistan and the United States will hold the fifth round of negotiations on the draft Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) early next month in a bid to develop consensus on the remaining disputed clauses of the agreement.
With free trade zones, what’s the fate of communities?
12-Sep-2006 AllAfrica.com
As Chinese companies prepare to invest in Lekki Trade Free Zone, about 300,000 dwellers of 26 Lagos suburbs, who are primarily farmers and fishermen, are faced with displacement from their fatherland.