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TPPA: Challenges for Australian health and medicine policies
19-Jan-2011 MJA
Of particular concern is that proposed TPPA multilateral investor–state dispute settlement procedures would allow US corporations (as well as those of other TPPA nations) to obtain damages against Australian governments through international arbitral proceedings if their investments are impeded by Australian public health and environment protection legislation.
Venezuela and Ecuador consolidate bilateral agreements, SUCRE currency system
19-Jan-2011 Venezuelanalysis
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro met on Monday with the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, Ricardo Patiño, to evaluate the progress of their country’s bilateral agreements. Among the ambitious goals set during the meeting was an increase in the use of the sucre, a regional currency being used in trade between the two countries.
US, South Korea officials to continue work on final text of trade deal
19-Jan-2011 WSJ
The planned amendments mostly involve provisions sought by the US to improve access for auto exports, in return for some concessions on the phasing of tariffs on US pork.
Chinese firm launches 1.5-billion-dollar mall in Bangkok
19-Jan-2011 dpa
’The purpose of the project is to respond to the vigorous growth of the ASEAN-China free trade area,’ said Dong Hongqi, president of the Ashima Yunnan Cultural Industry Group, a Yunnan-based state enterprise, brushing off criticism that the complex was designed to promote cheap Chinese goods on the Thai market to the detriment of local producers.
Peru-EU FTA to come into effect January 2012
19-Jan-2011 Andina
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Peru and the European Union may come into force in January 2012, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) announced Tuesday.
Trade pact with Gulf Cooperation Council on the cards
19-Jan-2011 The Star
The framework of the cooperation agreement between Malaysia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries has been completed and the next step is to sign the free trade agreement, according to Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
Lobby group formed to force openness on free trade agreement
19-Jan-2011 Computer World
Following Professor Jane Kelsey’s plea for greater openness in negotiations around the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement (TPPA), a lobby consisting of trade unionists and others and calling itself TPP Watch has launched an online petition to force release of the interim text of the treaty as it is negotiated.
JA at crossroads / TPP, agriculture can coexist / But reform of huge farming federation is unavoidable
18-Jan-2011 Yomiuri Shimbun
The success or failure of advancing Japan’s trade liberalization while strengthening the agricultural sector will largely hinge on the prospects for reforming agricultural cooperatives, known as JA.
’Jasmine Revolution’ jolts EU’s north Africa strategy
18-Jan-2011 EU Observer
Sweden’s foreign minister and ex-prime minister, Carl Bildt, has called the EU’s north African strategy a "failure" of democracy in the wake of Tunisia’s ’Jasmine Revolution.’
Protest against CETA at the European Commission in Brussels
18-Jan-2011 rabble.ca
This morning the Council of Canadians joined with Canadian allies — the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the National Farmers Union, the Indigenous Environmental Network, ATTAC-Quebec, Alternatives — and European allies — Friends of the Earth Europe, the UK Tar Sands Network, La Via Campesina Europe — in front of the European Commission headquarters in Brussels to denounce the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the tar sands.
Protesters invade British government office over tar sands trade deal
17-Jan-2011 rabble.ca
On Friday morning, a group of protesters invaded Britain’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and are demanding a meeting with Stephen Green, the new minister for trade. Calling themselves the "Big Society Trade Negotiators," they are concerned that trade negotiations between the EU and Canada, due to start in Brussels on Monday, will dramatically boost Europe’s involvement in the Canadian tar sands — the most destructive project on earth.
Trade Justice Network to challenge Canada-EU free trade talks in Brussels, Strasbourg
17-Jan-2011 TJN
Members of the Trade Justice Network, which comprises over two dozen Canadian environmental, labour, Indigenous, farmers, and social justice organizations critical of the CETA negotiations, will travel to Brussels and Strasbourg next week to meet with European decision makers and civil society groups to express their opposition to the deal.
Free trade critic warns of ’secondary liability’
17-Jan-2011 Business Day
Staunch Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement critic Jane Kelsey says a campaign by the powerful US entertainment industry to use the proposed free trade deal to make internet firms liable for illegal user downloads must not succeed.
Interview: China-ASEAN FTA adds new vitality into Sino-Philippine economic and trade cooperation: official
17-Jan-2011 Xinhua
"It’s fair to say the Philippines is becoming one of the main destinations for Chinese companies to make overseas investment," says Wu Zhengping, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese embassy in the Philippines.
Drug-tainted US beef removed from Taiwan markets
17-Jan-2011 AFP
Three shipments of US beef have been pulled from Taiwan’s shelves after they were found to contain Ractopamine, an official said Sunday.
US warns Japan of high goals for Pacific FTA
17-Jan-2011 Kyodo
The United States said Friday it has told Japan that its broad goals for a trans-Pacific free trade accord "exceed" those Washington has pursued in previous free trade pacts, signaling that Tokyo must make unprecedented efforts to eliminate all tariffs.
Big tobacco takes fight over plain cigarette packs to free trade agreement
16-Jan-2011
Big tobacco is hoping a new multilateral free trade agreement will enable it to sue the Federal Government if Australia introduces plain packaging for cigarettes in mid-2012 as planned.
TPP jitters spur protest statements
16-Jan-2011 Japan Times
A total of 46 local assemblies in Japan have adopted statements to express opposition to or caution in participating in a US-backed Pacific free-trade initiative, a survey indicated Sunday.
Japan to speed up discussions on Pacific FTA under new Cabinet
16-Jan-2011 Mainichi
Discussions on whether Japan should join a U.S.-backed free trade initiative are expected to accelerate under the revamped Cabinet toward a self-imposed June deadline, with new trade minister Banri Kaieda expected to play a key role in pushing for the country’s participation in negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Farmers lobby for improved access to EU
16-Jan-2011 Times Live
South African agricultural groups are lobbying to rectify the highly skewed trade relationship with the European Union, looking for improved market access for a number of products including wine, sugar and canned fruit.