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Analysis of Mercosur Summit
30-Apr-2007 Movimiento Boliviano por la Soberanía y la Integración solidaria de los pueblos: Contra el TLC y el ALCA
Presidents Néstor Kirchner (Argentina), Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brasil), Nicanor Duarte (Paraguay) y Tabaré Vázquez (Uruguay) met at the Río de Janeiro summit between 18 & 19 January in order to advance and consolidate the Southern Common Market (Mercosur). The focus was less on institutional strengthening of the block but more on looking for mechanisms to resolve the deep asymmetry in trading relations between nations.
Japan-UAE joint economic committee set up
29-Apr-2007
President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed their firm determination to develop bilateral relations between the UAE and Japan at all levels.
Growing sense that Caribbean-EC negotiations may be in trouble
29-Apr-2007
A few days ago an influential political friend of the region asked about the current state of the negotiations between the Caribbean and the Europe for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
EU says West Africa trade talks may stretch to 2008
29-Apr-2007
The European Commission is pressing West African governments to negotiate a deal on trade before a WTO waiver on current trade perks expires on December 31, but acknowledged on Thursday a short extension may be needed.
10th round of Korea-Canada FTA talks finished
29-Apr-2007
Trade delegates from Korea and Canada wrapped up their tenth round of free trade talks in Seoul last Thursday.
Call to lay down rules for signing treaties
29-Apr-2007
The draft constitution has failed to fix weaknesses in the state’s endorsement of international treaties, including free trade agreements (FTAs), civic groups and legal experts say. Article 186 regarding the signing of international agreements failed to say that the government must seek parliamentary backing before signing any international pact, they said.
S Korea free trade deal looms
29-Apr-2007
New Zealand has taken a big step closer to a free trade agreement with South Korea.
Abe-Bush statement sets ball rolling on FTA
29-Apr-2007
The agreement by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President George W. Bush to share information about their countries’ free trade agreement talks with third parties apparently marked a first step toward an eventual FTA between Tokyo and Washington.
EU concessions to African farmers suspect
29-Apr-2007
The recent trade concessions by the European Union to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries mean little in real terms, says an international non-governmental organisation.
Drug dispute could lead to trade trouble
29-Apr-2007
The Thai government’s showdown with multinational drug companies over compulsory licensing could result in a downgrade on Washington’s watch list of countries with poor intellectual property (IP) rights protection, trade sources say.
FTAs now substitute for multilateral talks
29-Apr-2007
I had the opportunity to present a working paper at the 7th Forum for Democracy, Development and Free Trade held at the Qatari capital of Doha last week.
Lanka seeks more investments from India - Prof Peiris
29-Apr-2007
Minister of Export Development and Internal Trade Prof. G.L.Peiris inaugurating a program on the Indo Lanka Free Trade Agreement in Kochi said that it is high time that inhibitions and apprehensions about Sri Lanka were shed. Sri Lanka is an ideal investment destination in South Asia. Investing in Sri Lanka would mean better access to the huge European Union market which does not charge duty on over 200 goods from Sri Lanka.
Opinion: Japan’s aid policy in dire need of revamp
28-Apr-2007
The second largest economy in the world is in the midst of change and one crucial area it needs to look is its official development assistance programme.
SAARC’s political will facing test
27-Apr-2007
The SAARC countries are now striving to set a uniform product standard for the group after years of complaints by the weaker ones among them about non-acceptance of their national certifications of product quality by their stronger counterparts. It has persistently posed as a difficult non-trade barrier that has obstructed bilateral trade.
Regional churches reject Economic Partnership Agreements
27-Apr-2007
Churches from Southern and Eastern Africa have called for a review of the proposed Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the European Union and the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
South Korea accepts U.S. beef
27-Apr-2007
For the first time in over three years, South Korea accepted a shipment of U.S. beef Friday. South Korea had rejected three previous shipments of U.S. beef since officially re-opening its market in September of 2006.
The paradoxes of a “democrat”
27-Apr-2007
For those who do not know it, it is at the very least paradoxical that it was precisely President Oscar Arias, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and impassioned defender of “democracy,” who attempted to block a citizens’ initiative that would approve the convening of a referendum to decide on the Costa Rican people’s approval or not of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
Israeli industrialists’ strategy in the global supply chain
27-Apr-2007
The aim of this paper is to try to understand the Israeli industrialists’ strategy in the globalization process in the course of the recent years. The new strategy was implemented in the days of the first Intifada (the Palestinian uprising) in the late 80s. At that time voices were heard in the Association of Israeli Industrialists, the strongest organization of Israeli employers, advocating an agreement with the Palestinians which would not oppose the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, as long as the Palestinian economic dependence on Israel is preserved.
Prospects for fairer trade in the Mediterranean
27-Apr-2007
In 2010 a free trade area will be established within the so-called Euromed zone that will make matters worse for poorer communities in the Mediterranean region. The renowned academic and activist Tonino Perna anticipates that some four million small farmers with less than three hectares of land and small fishermen will be swamped out of business by big companies with big money.
GCC on course to meet 2010 monetary union deadline
27-Apr-2007
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is on course to meet a 2010 deadline to form a monetary union, the UAE Central Bank Governor, Sultan bin Nasser Al Suwaidi, said yesterday. "There is no delay to forming a currency union," he said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an Islamic Banking Conference held in Dubai.