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Taiwan pushing for foreign investment agreement with Canada: minister
27-Apr-2018 Focus Taiwan
Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin has been pressing his Canadian counterpart on the issue of a bilateral foreign investment agreement.
UNCITRAL and the future of ISDS – fix it or nix it?
26-Apr-2018 Borderlex
The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law has an opportunity this week to keep pace with the other developments around the world challenging ISDS by using bold and creative thinking.
The EU pursues $15b free trade talks with Australia, but there’s a catch
26-Apr-2018 Sydney Morning Herald
EU’s lead trade negotiator said the agreement would serve a “strategic” purpose by creating a “circle” of allies to remove barriers
Eight lessons on imperatives of private sector-driven AfCFTA
26-Apr-2018 This Day
It appears from all indications that the African private sector is either kept at the back door or yet to be given a pride of place in the AfCFTA process.
Island will be able to do its own trade deals
26-Apr-2018 Jersey Evening Post
Jersey will soon be able to negotiate its own trade deals after finally being given permission by the UK – three years after the request was first made.
China’s Hong Kong seeks closer ties with Indonesia, ASEAN under FTA, Belt and Road Initiative
26-Apr-2018 UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News
An official delegation from China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is seeking closer ties in economic and other areas with Indonesia as well as ASEAN under the Hong Kong-ASEAN free trade agreement (FTA) and the Belt and Road Initiative.
India joining RCEP trade pact could be disastrous: NITI Aayog
26-Apr-2018 Live Mint
Government think tank NITI Aayog, in a note on free trade agreements (FTAs) and their costs for India, has argued that the country needs to rethink joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as it will be disastrous to provide more market access to China, which is a key player in the grouping.
PDVSA ordered to pay Conoco $2 billion after Venezuela oil nationalization: arbitration
26-Apr-2018 Reuters
In a separate arbitration claim from the ICSID case, the International Chamber of Commerce has ordered Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA to pay ConocoPhillips $2.04 billion for early dissolution of two joint ventures for producing oil.
Pacific economic ministers cautioned on NZ’s PACER-Plus view
26-Apr-2018 Scoop
PACER-Plus will undermine the right of governments to regulate, and see the Pacific bear the burden of binding commitments in the areas of interest to Australia and New Zealand whilst getting little legal commitments in return.
Mexico wins ‘cheese war’ over Europe in trade deal
25-Apr-2018 Euractiv
Europe did not gain exclusive rights for Spain’s La Mancha farmers to use Manchego, which has protected geographical status in the EU.
Mexico’s senate ratifies sweeping Asia-Pacific trade deal
25-Apr-2018 Reuters
Mexico’s Senate voted to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership, making it the first of 11 signatory countries to back the arduously negotiated framework that was rejected by the United States.
Bangladesh official says no rush for free trade pact with China
25-Apr-2018 Reuters
Bangladesh is in no rush to sign a free trade agreement with China, a senior Bangladeshi trade official said on Tuesday, though Chinese officials said it would help the poor South Asian country cut its deficit with its largest trading partner.
‘Pakistan, China expected to sign revised FTA this year’
25-Apr-2018 The News
Pakistan and China are expected to sign the revised bilateral free trade agreement anytime during this year as the two sided are currently deliberating on the subject, Commerce Minister Pervez Malik said on Tuesday.
Thailand aims to join TPP trade deal
25-Apr-2018 The Japan Times
Thailand intends to join the TPP deal, which counts Japan and Australia among its members, after it takes effect. The existing 11 member countries are seeking to have it take effect this year.
India may face pressure to cut duties on 90% of goods traded with China
25-Apr-2018 The EconomicTimes
India is likely to face greater pressure to eliminate duties on 90% of goods it trades with China under the mega trade agreement among 16 Asia Pacific countries that is in the works.
Bangladesh plans FTA with Thailand
25-Apr-2018 The Daily Star
Bangladesh has decided to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with Thailand to boost trade with the Southeast Asian nation.
EU’s new trade deal with Mexico promotes CETA-style investors’ rights while ignoring human rights violations by multinationals
25-Apr-2018 TNI
A key feature of the “modernisation” process is the inclusion of a controversial investment protection chapter with the same characteristics as the one recently included in the Canada-EU trade agreement.
Invenergy files international arbitration suit against Poland over wind projects
25-Apr-2018 Wind Power
The Invenergy group has submitted a notice of arbitration against Poland citing violations of Invenergy’s rights as a foreign investor and clear breaches of Poland’s obligations under the United States-Poland bilateral investment treaty.
Scots call for halt to EU’s Mercosur trade talks
24-Apr-2018 Farmers Weekly
Scottish farm leaders have urged the European Commission to postpone its “reckless” trade negotiations with the Mercosur block of South American countries because of fears over the damage it could inflict on the beef sector.
Kimberly-Clark to sue Venezuela over 2016 expropriated factory
24-Apr-2018 Venezuelanalysis
US multinational Kimberly-Clark has filed a formal request to take Venezuela to court regarding the expropriation of its abandoned factory by the government of Nicolas Maduro in July 2016.