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Problems in trade talks with EU
18-Feb-2011 Hindu Business Line
EU is pushing India to relax controls on capital flows and conditions on investment, such as export obligation and local content requirement.
Teamsters head opposes Korean trade pact
18-Feb-2011 DN
Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa, in a break from the Obama administration and the United Auto Workers union, opposes the Korea free trade agreement. "The last thing America’s middle class needs right now is ’Son of NAFTA,’ " Hoffa said.
Solidarity in action: Unionists across North America to protest for Mexican workers’ rights
18-Feb-2011 In These Times
This week, people across the United States and Canada will demonstrate at Mexican consulates and embassies in protest of violations of the right to organize in Mexico. Of particular concern to protesters will be the bitter strikes and repression of unions representing miners and electrical workers, and the escalating practice of government and corporate entities forcibly installing company unions known there as “protection unions.”
Chile official: Asia-Pacific trade bloc may not be ready in 2011
18-Feb-2011 Dow Jones
An Asia-Pacific free-trade agreement nine nations are negotiating might not be ready this year as originally expected, Chile’s chief trade negotiator said Thursday.
New leaks of TPPA text show US is playing hardball
18-Feb-2011 TWN
There has been another leak of the secret documents at the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations in Santiago this week, this time involving United States’ negotiating text.
EU, South Korea trade agreement overcomes final European hurdle
18-Feb-2011 Bloomberg
EU companies that may benefit include pharmaceutical producers GlaxoSmithKline Plc, chemical makers BASF SE, and consumer electronics manufacturers Royal Philips Electronics NV. Farm exporters, shipping businesses and the financial- and legal-services industries also stand to gain.
India, Malaysia to sign free trade pact tomorrow
18-Feb-2011 PTI
India will sign another free trade agreement with Malaysia tomorrow to boost the $8 billion bilateral trade by further reduction of duties by the two countries
Europe ratifies free trade deal with S. Korea
18-Feb-2011 AFP
Europe gave its final approval on Thursday to a major free trade deal with South Korea, eliminating most tariffs in a pact hailed as a model for future agreements with other Asian nations.
S. Korea eyes growing competition following Japan-India FTA
18-Feb-2011 Yonhap
Competition between South Korean and Japanese businesses in India will likely intensify following New Delhi’s signing of a free trade agreement with Tokyo this week, a local trade body said Friday.
Unholy smoke!
17-Feb-2011 DTE
As the Philips Morris case shows, any corporation can potentially sue the Indian government in a bid to block sovereign actions for protecting the wellbeing of its people.
Change EU investment policy - now is the time!
17-Feb-2011 TNI
The European Commission, Council and Parliament are at present discussing the content and directions of the future EU investment policy. Social movements, human rights, development and environmental organisations as well as trade unions must speak out and push for a balanced investment policy.
Czech government wants to scrap US investment treaty
16-Feb-2011 Czech Position
Diplomatic courtesy prompts Czech government to delay move to scrap a disadvantageous investment protection treaty with the US.
EU-Georgia trade talks proving ’difficult’, minister says
16-Feb-2011 EU Observer
Preliminary talks on a free-trade regime are the "most difficult" part of a broad Association Agreement currently being negotiated between Georgia and the EU, possibly due to objections Tbilisi has raised against Russia joining the World Trade Organisation, Georgia’s chief negotiator has said in an interview.
Ukraine and EU clash in ’candy row’
16-Feb-2011 EurActiv
The Ukraine’s confectionary industry, which employs 300,000 people, is reportedly under threat from FTA talks with the EU.
The Korea trade deal is lose-lose
16-Feb-2011 Huffington Post
The Obama administration’s effort to convince Congress to pass a NAFTA-style trade pact with South Korea on foreign relations and national security grounds took a beating last month when a large delegation of Korean opponents of the pact came to Washington.
Japan, India sign trade accord to cut tariffs as Asian investment expands
16-Feb-2011 Bloomberg
Japan and India signed an economic agreement that will abolish tariffs on 94 percent of trade over 10 years as each country expands its investment in Asia.
EU Commission sued over privileging corporate lobby groups in EU-India trade talks
15-Feb-2011 CEO
Today, Corporate Europe Observatory launched a legal action, suing the EU’s executive in the EU General Court for withholding documents related to the EU’s free trade talks with India. The Commission is accused of discriminating in favour of corporate lobby groups and of violating the EU’s transparency rules.
EU hauled to court over secrecy in India trade talks
15-Feb-2011 Reuters
Transparency campaigners have hauled the European Union’s executive to court for withholding documents about free trade talks with India, intensifying pressure on the bloc to make its policy-making less secretive.
Gillard aims for bigger free trade zone
15-Feb-2011 AAP
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has set a goal of achieving an expanded Pacific region free trade zone by the end of the year, bringing more nations into the TPP fold.
China in talks over Panama Canal rival
15-Feb-2011 Financial Times
China is in talks to build an alternative to the Panama Canal that would link Colombia’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts by rail – a move that Bogotá also hopes will spur Washington to push for Congressional approval of a US-Colombia free-trade pact.