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Asean-Japan talks on shaky ground
28-Nov-2006     The Nation
Negotiations for the free-trade agreement (FTA) between Southeast Asian countries and Japan may fail as Japan is planning to request that over 500 products be excluded from the deal.
Canada seeks wider agricultural access in FTA talks
28-Nov-2006     Korea Herald
Canada has pushed for wider access to Korea's agriculture market during the eighth round of talks for a bilateral free trade agreement last week.
Brussels rejects moves to link trade with aid
28-Nov-2006     FT
Despite public rhetoric that new trade agreements with some of the world's poorest countries are a development tool, in private the European Union is insisting on excluding aid from the negotiations.
House resolution filed urging Senate to junk JPEPA
27-Nov-2006    
A resolution has been filed by the progressive party-list block in Congress urging the Senate to junk the controversial Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement for being 'one-sided, onerous and inimical to national interest.'
Furor over JPEPA: Will Davao's banana workers benefit from it?
27-Nov-2006     Davao Today
Most of the bananas from Davao are exported to Japan by Japanese companies such as Sumitomo. These companies and their contract growers or affiliates in Mindanao will benefit from any lowered tariff under JPEPA, not the farmers and plantation workers.
US-Russia bilateral/WTO deal pushes new standards for IP protection
26-Nov-2006     IP Watch
In its bilateral negotiation with the United States in order to join the World Trade Organization, Russia appears to have agreed to intellectual property rights standards that push those of the WTO and US law to new levels.
Thousands rally in South Korean capital against free trade with US
26-Nov-2006     Boston Herald
Thousands of South Korean workers demonstrated Saturday against a proposed free-trade agreement between their country and the United States.
GCC and Singapore to start talks on FTA
26-Nov-2006     Channel News Asia
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Singapore have agreed to start negotiations for a free trade agreement.
China, Pakistan sign free trade agreement
25-Nov-2006     Channel News Asia
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf oversaw the signing of a landmark free trade deal Friday and vowed to take the allies' "evergreen" relationship to new heights.
Bahrain bans strikes a month after allowing them
25-Nov-2006     Reuters
Bahrain has banned strikes and worker demonstrations in most business sectors, a month after labour law reforms banning the sacking of strikers encouraged a wave of trade union activity in the Gulf island state.