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EU-Andean talks inch forward, but Ecuador threatens to pull out
27-May-2009 ICTSD
Negotiations toward a trade-opening deal between the EU and a group of Andean countries hit another snag this week when Ecuador’s president publicly denounced the talks, calling them ‘biased’.
EPA lessons and Canadian FTA
27-May-2009 Norman Girvan
Lessons from the EU-Caribbean FTA negotiating process in view of a possible Canada-CARICOM FTA, by Norman Girvan
Amazonian Indigenous protest provokes Peruvian government reprisals
27-May-2009 ENS
After more than six weeks of protests by Peru’s Amazonian indigenous groups that have included blockades of major roads and waterways and the shutting down an oil pipeline pumping station, the Peruvian government has begun to crack down.
EU free trade secondary to Asia pacts: Al Mansouri
27-May-2009 Gulf News
The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is concentrating on trade talks with East Asia after negotiations with the European Union stalled, Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, said.
Panama wrong choice for Obama’s first trade deal
27-May-2009 Seattle Times
This trade deal — largely based on the North American Free Trade Agreement model — was written by and for multinational companies. It enables companies to increase their profits while skipping town on taxes.
Free trade agreements pushed by Grassley, pork produce
27-May-2009 Brownfield
The National Pork Producers Council is pushing for passage of the Panama Free Trade Agreement, saying it will level the playing field for U.S. pork producers.
Mainland expects to start talk on cross-Strait economic pact
27-May-2009 China.org
The Chinese mainland expects talks about a cross-Strait economic cooperation agreement to start in the latter half of this year, said President Hu Jintao Tuesday.
Soy group checks out Central, South American markets
27-May-2009 Farm Futures
The pending free trade agreement for Colombia could increase market access for soy products, but what would the impact really be? That was one of the goals of a fact-finding mission conducted by two US soybean farmers that participated in a Free Trade Agreement fact-finding mission to the South American country last week.
ECOWAS, EU free trade agreement on a cliff hanger
27-May-2009 The Guardian
There were strong indications last week that the free trade agreement between Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union may not be signed before its subsisting deadline-June 30th 2009 because of the need to protect the collective regional interest of ECOWAS States.
Peru and Japan start free-trade negotiations
26-May-2009 BusinessWeek
Peru and Japan have launched the first round of negotiations for a planned free-trade pact as Peru’s government pledges closer ties to Asia’s markets.
Free trade agreement with Colombia under pressure
26-May-2009 Geneva Lunch
Citing “serious and systematic” human rights violations in Colombia, 33 non-governmental organizations led by Alliance Sud, the Berne Declaration and the Swiss Working Group on Colombia sent a letter 12 May to deputies urging them not to ratify the trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), of which Switzerland is a member, and Colombia.
Kiwis say no to free trade agreement with US
26-May-2009 Scoop
Two hoary old myths are peddled as a means to get NZ out of its particular corner of the global economic crisis — that the economy needs to be opened up even more to foreign investors, by means of liberalising, yet again, the Overseas Investment Act; and that a Free Trade Agreement with the US is the Holy Grail of the numerous trade deals that the Government is currently pursuing. The Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA) says “no” to both and we are not alone.
Malaysia FTA renegotiations start in June
25-May-2009 Bernama
Renegotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and three other countries namely the United States (US), Australia and New Zealand will begin in the middle of June.
EU and Korea fail to conclude free trade deal
25-May-2009 EU Observer
Leaders from the European Union and South Korea called for a quick conclusion to the ongoing discussions over a free trade agreement after a summit between the two sides in Seoul on Saturday (23 May) failed to produce a breakthrough.
"I will absolutely fight to the death" against the Panama FTA
25-May-2009 Eyes on trade
Pop quiz: who said that? Was it a Panamanian worker with nothing to lose? Nope. It was the chair of one of the most powerful committees in the US Congress.
Ecuador president nixes EU free trade deal
25-May-2009 Euronews 24
Ecuador will not sign a free trade deal with the European Union, President Rafael Correa said, criticizing the tenor of talks between the two. The European Union can give whatever pretty name it wants, but we are headed toward a free trade agreement, and we will not accept that, Correa said on Saturday.
Taiwan wants to sign trade pact with China as soon as possible
25-May-2009 DPA
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Sunday urged China to sign a trade pact with Taiwan as soon as possible, despite objection from Taiwan’s opposition party DPP.
Guyana’s opposition to Economic Partnership Agreement leads to loss of 6M Euros
25-May-2009 KNews
It is a ‘striking’ coincidence that most of the difficulties encountered in the implementation of European Union budget support came shortly after Guyana adopted a position that was critical of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), according to the government
EU-Asean FTA not good for RP rice sector, says study
23-May-2009 Philippine Star
The European Union-Association of South East Asian Nations (EU-ASEAN) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) may pose difficulties for the Philippine rice sector while favoring that of Thailand.
Protests target Peru’s UN Mission in New York: Indigenous rights over US free trade agreement
22-May-2009 Amazon Watch
Indigenous leaders from around the world are joined by supporters in a demonstration today outside the Peru’s Mission to the United Nations, urging the Alan Garcia Government to respect indigenous peoples’ rights and repeal a series of new laws passed under the pretext of implementing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States.