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US back ECOWAS’ efforts to attain borderless trade status
Countries in the West African sub-region were yesterday reassured of the support of the United States in their quest to establishing a borderless trade environment in the ECOWAS region.
Let us seal FTA early, Prime Minister tells regional club
Urging the seven-member BIMSTEC grouping to fast-track trade and economic cooperation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday called for “early conclusion” of the BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement and said it should be extended to investment and services.
Turkish firm’’s claim: government seeks 20 days to file reply
Pakistan has sought a 20-day extension to file its reply to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) against a damage claim of $2.1 billion filed by Turkish firm M/s Karkey Karadeniz Elektrik Uretim. The sources said Pakistan had to submit its reply to the international body by February 28, 2014 but it was delayed due to a change in legal firm.
Japan, Denmark eye cooperation on maritime security, FTA
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Danish counterpart Helle Thorning-Schmidt agreed Tuesday to strengthen bilateral cooperation on maritime security and pledged to seek the early conclusion of a free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union.
Lessons from Vodafone tax case: Govt to rewrite BIPA to exclude taxation, intellectual property right issues
India has readied a new draft to negotiate bilateral investment treaties in the future, keeping taxation and intellectual property right issues out of its ambit
BIMSTEC leaders today resolved to expeditiously
BIMSTEC leaders today resolved to expeditiously conclude an agreement on trade in goods to promote commerce among member nations India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal.
Dairy groups ’running out of patience’ on TPP
The US Dairy Export Council and the National Milk Producers Federation suggest moving forward with Trans Pacific Partnership without Canada and Japan on the basis of the countries’ dairy policies
AFL-CIO, more than 40 other organizations call for public consultations on investor rights in trade deals
Millions of Americans are hoping the US government will immediately initiate open and fruitful discussions on ISDS.
In for messy litigation
Several local newspapers misread the recent decision by the Washington-based International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) as a verdict forcing the Indonesian government to pay over US$1 billion in compensation to the plaintiff, London-listed Churchill Mining Plc, in regard to its coal mining concessions in East Kalimantan.
US welcomes Taiwan membership in TPP if island fulfills criteria: diplomat
The United States would welcome Taiwan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership as long as it meets the high standards set by TPP members, Taipei’s diplomat to Washington was cited as saying yesterday.
Russia FTA could be delayed - Key
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key says a free-trade agreement with Russia could be delayed because of the escalating situation between the superpower and Ukraine.
Uganda: EU sets EPA deadline signing for October
“The EAC states wont access European markets if we don’t sign EPA by October 1 but how prepared are we when some clauses are still not agreed upon?” Jane Nalunga, SEATINI Uganda country director, asks.
Trade deals a closely held secret, shared by more than 500 advisers
The details of the Obama administration’s proposals for a massive 12-nation trade zone in the Asia-Pacific region are off limits to most Americans, held close by negotiators who worry that too much openness would make it impossible to reach a deal. But a chosen few have been allowed to peek behind the curtain and share some of the most sensitive documents.
Rough trade: the new corporate power grab
Trade and investment agreements currently being negotiated will mean the biggest corporate power grab in a decade. We need a new global movement to confront them, writes Nick Dearden
USTR rejecting EU bids for more transparency in TTIP
USTR demands for hyper-secrecy in the Trans Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) continue to be a major block to continuing negotiations, writes Sean Flynn
Canadians to see Canada-EU free trade pact legal text soon, says Fast
The legal text of the Canada-European Union free trade agreement will be ready for Canadians to examine soon, possibly in the next month or two, federal Trade Minister Ed Fast said Friday.
EU-US trade talks face growing hostility, ministers warn
Free-trade talks between the United States and the European Union are in danger of being derailed by populist groups opposing everything from globalization to multinationals, EU ministers and business leaders said on Friday.
Ukraine ready to sign association agreement during March EU summit
Ukraine’s new government wants to sign its Association Agreement with the EU at the 20-21 March summit of EU leaders, a high-ranking diplomat told EurActiv today (27 February).
TTIP ‘challenged’ by environmental critics, EU says
Plans for a sweeping EU-US free trade deal known as TTIP risk being blown off course by civil society fears about the damage it could wreak on environmental and social protections, according to a leaked EU document seen by EurActiv.