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Safta 'sensitive list': 20 percent reduction approved
3-Nov-2011    
The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a 20 percent reduction (233 tariff lines) in sensitive list for South Asian Free Trade Area (Safta) which, according to the Commerce Ministry, will earn goodwill for the country.
Ibsa partners boost trade, gird themselves for global crisis
3-Nov-2011    
South Africa is achieving significant success in trade with its Ibsa part- ner countries, India and Brazil, President Jacob Zuma highlighted at a press conference in Pretoria last week. (South Africa hosted the fifth Ibsa Dialogue Forum summit on October 17 and 18.)
Sacu-Mercosur Pta Gets Cautionary Thumbs-Up
3-Nov-2011    
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Tjekero Tweya, tabled a motion in Parliament on Thursday for the ratification of a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) and South America's trade bloc, called the Common Market of the South (Mercosur).
Timing may be everything in TPP
3-Nov-2011    
As emerging Asian economies facilitate growth in the region and increasingly stand out as important players in global trade, the United States appears intent on getting its own share of the pie in the form of taking a leadership role in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade framework.
Ruling party rules out using speaker's authority for FTA vote
3-Nov-2011    
The floor leader of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) Wednesday opposed using the Assembly speaker's authority to pass the long-pending free trade deal with the United States on the floor, saying a unilateral passage would cause distrust in party politics.
As Pak finally relents, MFN to boost India ties
2-Nov-2011    
Pakistan on Wednesday approved a proposal granting India the status of “most favoured nation” which would pave the way for direct import and export of goods and services. Textile, automobile and auto component trade through the land route with easier tariffs and quota restrictions are a distinct possibility.
Czechs could delay EU trade deal over visa issue
2-Nov-2011    
The Czech government is indicating it could delay the ratification of a Canada-EU free trade agreement, a deal that would be larger in scope than the North American Free Trade Agreement, if the Canadian government doesn't scrap a visa requirement it imposed on Czech citizens in 2009.
In Japan, possible free trade deal comes with an argument
1-Nov-2011     Washington Post
In an upscale neighborhood where Japanese buy their handbags and smartphones, furious farmers drove their tractors down the main road last week in their latest protest against a controversial regionwide free-trade pact.
Final KORUS FTA battle centers on investor-state dispute provision
1-Nov-2011     Hankyoreh
Korea's Democratic Party says ISD could harm socially vulnerable groups as the Grand National Party opposes measures that will require agreement from US Congress
Imminent FTA action
31-Oct-2011    
Few would be surprised if the ruling Grand National Party resorted to its majority power to ram the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement bill through the National Assembly at any time. The GNP must believe it has accumulated enough justification to do so while the main opposition party has weak logic to ask for public support for its rejection of the bill. Rep. Chung Dong-young is in the center of the DP’s illogical and unreasonable behavior in the KORUS FTA tussle.