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Philippines: Market access for fruits sought in FTA with Japan
The Department of Agriculture will work for a better market for tropical vegetables in a proposed Philippines-Japan free trade agreement (FTA) as Japan is believed to be more inclined to favor tropical vegetables grown by small farmers over tropical fruits grown by multinational companies that already widely dominate its market.
The disease of the day: Acute treatyitis
The efforts to establish global and regional ‘free trade’ agreements have met with considerable resistance. People around the world suffering the effects of so-called free trade have steadily built a movement to reject the dominant economic model.
FTA BACKLASH: Trade talk details to be revealed
Criticism of the free-trade agreement signed with Australia earlier this month has prompted the Commerce Ministry to set up a committee to monitor impacts.
Free trade with Malaysia chokes on car protection
Japan plans to ask Malaysia to abandon protection of its domestic car industry during free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations this week, government sources have said.
Why Latham should reject the FTA
This so-called free trade agreement is a humiliating sell-out, says Tim Colebatch.
China-NZ: Trade deal rivalry heats up
New Zealand’s "first-mover" advantage with China will be put to the test in coming months as other countries try to jump the queue and open free-trade negotiations with the world’s most populous nation.
India-Thailand FTA: More linkage sought in tourism, hospitality
Bangkok and New Delhi are looking forward to developing further linkages in the areas of tourism and hospitality to widen economic co-operation under the Thailand-India bilateral free-trade agreement, according to high-ranking representatives of both countries.
Korea, American CEOs Call for BIT
South Korean and American business leaders on Friday agreed to urge their respective governments to step up efforts to form a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations and seek growth engines.
Mandatory checks on Chinese fruit
The Agriculture Ministry will soon require selected lots of apples and pears from China to pass mandatory tests for chemical residues, pests, micro-organisms and heavy metals before they can enter the country.
US FTA fever may be overrated
The trade-pact fever seems to be in full swing around the world, and Asia is in the thick of it.
US agrees to sign FTA with Pakistan
The United States has agreed to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with Pakistan, a senior government official told Daily Times.
US and Mongolia sign bilateral TIFA
The United States and Mongolia today further enhanced their growing economic and trade partnership by signing a bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).
Taiwan’s free trade troubles
Hardly a day goes by without some news about free trade agreements (FTAs). Right this minute, tired trade officials somewhere are undoubtedly hammering out the final details of a bilateral trade pact.
Russia: WTO bid timed to US election
Moscow is pushing hard to hammer out a deal with Washington on WTO membership before the U.S. presidential election in November, Russian negotiators said.
In New Trade Pacts, U.S. Seeks To Limit Reach of Generic Drugs
As public-health groups urge wider use of generic drugs to lower the cost of treating AIDS and other diseases in developing countries, U.S. trade negotiators — prodded by the drug industry — are taking the opposite stance in new trade pacts, seeking to strengthen protections for costlier brand-name drugs.
Arbitration panel ruling favors Occidental in Ecuador tax dispute
Occidental Petroleum Corporation said today that a tribunal of international arbitrators formed under the US-Ecuador Bilateral Investment Treaty has issued its unanimous decision awarding approximately $75 million as compensation for value added tax (VAT) refunds from the company’s Block 15 operations in Ecuador that were deemed wrongfully withheld by the Government of Ecuador through December 31, 2003.
US and France clash over cheap Aids drugs
The US and France clashed on Tuesday over allegations by President Jacques Chirac that Washington was seeking to use bilateral trade agreements to reduce developing countries’ access to cheap medicines for diseases such as HIV/Aids.
UN human rights expert urges Peru, US to protect health in any trade deal
As the United States and Peru negotiate a bilateral trade pact, a United Nations human rights expert has urged them to ensure any agreement includes public health safeguards so that essential drugs do not become unaffordable for millions of Peruvians.
Cheap HIV Drugs: Scepticism over Thaksin’s pledge
Critics voiced doubt yesterday over Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s promise to provide equitable access to life-saving drugs for all people with HIV/Aids in Thailand, saying it was a pipe dream while disputes over patented drugs remain unresolved.
US-Thailand FTA opponents plan rally
A leading senator and civic groups are planning to hold a demonstration today against what they call the government’s rush to conclude free-trade negotiations, which they say would have great ramifications on many people in the agricultural sector.