bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Articles by language


Costa Rican economist says CAFTA is a bad deal
Costa Rican economist and former presidential candidate Ottón Solís spent the spring at the University of Florida as the Bacardi Family Eminent Scholar, teaching a course on free-trade agreements in the Americas at the university’s Center for Latin American Studies.
Call for region to embrace free trade agenda
The trade liberalisation agenda in southern Africa and Africa as a whole needed to be strengthened, Tshediso Matona, the director-general of the trade and industry department, said on 30 October.
Tanzania’s land policy unruffled by planned EAC market
The planned common market of the East African Community (EAC) that is expected to become operational in 2010 will not affect Tanzania’s land policy, it has been said. Opening a parliamentary seminar that discussed the EAC common market debate here yesterday, the Minister for East African Cooperation Dr Diodorus Kamala insisted that foreigners would not be given mandate to buy or own land in Tanzania.
Group negotiation with EU not dead
Presidents of Andean Community, or CAN, member countries met in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Oct. 14 as part of an urgent effort to rescue derailed group talks for a trade agreement with the European Union. Talks stalled in June for the trade pact after the European Union agreed to negotiate the accord separately with Colombia and Peru, as both countries are governed by pro-free trade presidents, unlike the presidents of fellow CAN countries Ecuador and Bolivia.
Afro-trade bloc will draw FDI and reduce costs, SADC boss
The proposed merger of the EAC, SADC and COMESA will help reduce the cost of doing business for companies within the 26 countries and boost foreign direct investment (FDI) to levels never seen before.
EAC states should agree to one trading bloc, says IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has challenged three East African Community (EAC) partner states to agree to one regional trade bloc in order to make the customs union (CU) more effective.
Group slams PM’s decision to sign Economic Partnership Agreement
The Civil Society Network of St Lucia (CSNS) has criticised the decision of Prime Minister Stephenson King to sign the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe.
Sacu spells out its nuanced position on EPAs
Technical issues and demands by the EU such as the automatic extension to the EC of future trade benefits given to third countries, export taxes, the integrity of the common external tariff of Sacu, the movement of goods between members of the proposed free trade area and infant industry protection are Sacu’s major concerns.
Mitsubishi looks at ASEAN trade pact for hub in India
Mitsubishi Motors of Japan is looking forward to a free trade pact between India and the 10-nation Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to start production in the country and make it an export hub, a top official has said.
Impatient Free Traders
It is natural that the government shifts its focus from the financial sector to the real economy in dealing with the ongoing crisis.
Value of mandatory review in Joint Declaration on EPA
Coinciding with the signing in Barbados on October 15 of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the CARIFORUM countries (Caricom plus the Dominican Republic) was a Joint Declaration that resulted from an initiative by Guyana as a compromise for its decision to also be a signatory to the accord. Professor Norman Girvan examines "the significance" of this mandatory review as provided for in the Joint Declaration.
Free Trade Opens Environmental Window
Legislative decree 1090, which modifies Peru’s forest policy, is worrying U.S. trade authorities because it contravenes environmental clauses of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that is to enter force between the two countries in January 2009.
Serbia, Turkey to sign free trade agreement next year
Deputy Prime Minister for EU integration Bozidar Djelic announced today that next year Serbia and Turkey will sign an agreement on free trade.
Preparation to Facilitate EPAs Talks Underway
A ’white document’ meant to facilitate negotiations between regional economic blocs and the European Union (EU) under the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) has been finalised.
FTA ratification back on the table
The administration and ruling party decided October 31 that they are going to move towards an early ratification of the free trade agreement with the United States, meaning many will be watching to see whether a ratification bill passes the current National Assembly session.
Go Ahead Given For Approval Of Remaining TLC Bill
The Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court) resolved in record time the appeal by legislative members of the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC) and Frente Amplio parties on the constitutionality of the Intellectual Property bill, the last of the "complimentary" laws that is required to be passed by the Legislative Assembly to ratify the Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the United States.
Mood Shift Against Free Trade Puts Republicans on Defensive
The U.S. has led the way in efforts to lower barriers to global trade since World War II, despite opposition from unions and voters hurt by foreign competition. This election could put trade-liberalization on ice for a while.
Day of reckoning for customs union’s fate
The Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) council of ministers is gathering in Windhoek today for a meeting that is likely to be dominated by the acrimonious Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the European Union (EU).
Early FTA Ratification Urged
President Lee Myung-bak called for a quick approval of the free trade agreement (FTA) signed between South Korea and the United States in a meeting with business leaders from both countries in Seoul Friday.
FTA with Cambodia to go into effect in November
A free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and Cambodia will go into effect as of November, the government said Friday.