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Canada: Potential new impediments to M&A transactions
27-Oct-2007     Mondaq
On October 9, 2007, Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, announced that the government of Canada will consider introducing new guidelines on takeovers by foreign state-owned enterprises and amending the Investment Canada Act to permit the review of foreign investments that could compromise Canada's national security
US Congress may delay Fata zones legislation
27-Oct-2007     Dawn
The United States Congress is likely to put on hold for several months, possibly a year, legislation for setting up reconstruction opportunity zones (ROZs) in tribal areas and finalisation of a bilateral investment treaty till a new democratic set-up comes into power in Pakistan
Fear and voting in Costa Rica
26-Oct-2007     FPIF
Costa Rica's recent referendum was supposed to decide once and for all whether that country should enter into the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Instead, the Oct. 7 vote polarized and politicized this small country of four and a half million people more than anything since neighboring Nicaragua's war between the Sandinistas and the Contras two decades ago. And even though supporters of the treaty prevailed by a slim margin, CAFTA opponents still have a few cards to play and may yet block its implementation.
JPEPA: Gross violation of the Constitution
26-Oct-2007     Magkaisa Junk JPEPA
The JPEPA was based on the Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement, literally employing the "cut-and-paste" method. Page 71 of the Working Draft of the JPEPA still contains the word Singapore in one of the provisions.
Colombia's workers, peasants need int'l solidarity
26-Oct-2007     Workers World
Even the New York Times, which has reported very little about the horrendous violence against Colombia's workers and campesinos, in an Oct. 8 editorial recommended that the pending Free Trade Agreement with Colombia be delayed because “President Álvaro Uribe and his government have not done enough to bring to justice the paramilitary thugs-and their political backers-responsible for widespread human rights violations.”
Using Chávez as counterpoint, Bush pursues Latin trade pacts
26-Oct-2007     NYT
The Bush administration has enlisted an unlikely ally in its international trade agenda: Hugo Chávez, the leftist president of Venezuela, who makes a practice of denouncing United States' influence in Latin America.
NZ: Free-trade agreement with India on agenda
26-Oct-2007     Radio New Zealand
New Zealand Trade Minister Phil Goff will be pushing forward with a proposal for a study into a free-trade agreement with India when he meets representatives of the Indian business community on Friday. Mr Goff says India is potentially a huge market for New Zealand and is becoming even more significant with growth of between 8% and 9% every year.
China, Costa Rica to begin FTA process
26-Oct-2007     China Daily
China and Costa Rica said they will conduct a feasibility study on a free trade agreement -- four months after the two established formal diplomatic ties.
EU negotiations launch, so does opposition
25-Oct-2007     Tico Times
As negotiations between the European Union and Central America over an association agreement kicked off this week, so did something else: opposition.
Free Trade undermining democracy in Costa Rica
25-Oct-2007     Alliance for Democracy
Democracy in Costa Rica was undermined after several violations to costarrican law.