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Trade, development, cooperation - what future for Africa?
18-Mar-2005    
Bi- and multilateral trade relations between external actors and individual African states or regional blocs are becoming ever more decisive. The trade policies of both the USA and the EU are anything but helpful.
US urges Philippines to sign FTA
17-Mar-2005     AFP
US Assistant Trade Representative Barbara Weisel urged the Philippines to sign a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with Washington to boost its underperforming economy and keep it globally competitive.
Corporate conquest, global geopolitics: Intellectual property rights and bilateral investment treaties
17-Mar-2005     Seedling
Examines how bilateral investment treaties and free trade agreements which contain specific investment provisions reflect geopolitical concerns and redefine rights and privileges for transnational corporations, including with respect to commercial control over biodiversity through intellectual property rights.
Costa Rica rules out immediate ratification of FTA with US
17-Mar-2005     Xinhua
Costa Rica on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of an immediate ratification of the free trade agreement (FTA) between Central America and the United States due to pressure from economic and social sectors.
S. Korean fruit growers hurt by S. Korea-Chile FTA
17-Mar-2005     Yonhap
South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said 12,644 local peach, kiwi and grape farms across the country have decided to halt operations since the FTA's ratification, indicating that the opening of the domestic market is taking a toll on the growers.
Speeding free trade
17-Mar-2005     Oxford Business Group
Washington wants to sign Free Trade Agreements with every country in the Middle East - North Africa region by 2013, to promote economic and political development in line with recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission.
Australia eyes free-trade deal with UAE as 'launchpad' for access to Middle East
17-Mar-2005     Daily Star
Australia and the United Arab Emirates agreed Tuesday to begin negotiations on a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) that Canberra said would be a "launchpad" for expanded business opportunities across the Middle East.
Aussie BitTorrent case to test Aust-US FTA
17-Mar-2005     Zdnet Australia
Warner Music Australia and other record companies are suing ISP Swiftel Communications for copyright infringement for allegedly hosting and maintaining two Internet computer servers and a Web site called Archie's Hub which deploys the BitTorrent application. The case is the first to test legislation passed to enact the Australian-United States Free Trade Agreement.
COMESA looks forward to cementing ties with China
17-Mar-2005     Xinhua
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Secretary General Erastus Mwencha said his organization is looking forward to strengthening its relations with China, particularly in the area of trade and investment. He declined to elaborate on details of the trade agreement, but implied that it will be something like the Economic Partnership Agreement being negotiated by COMESA with the European Union or the Africa Growth Opportunity Act of the United States.
UAE and Australia begin talks on FTA
17-Mar-2005     Gulf News
The UAE and Australia are about to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement, officials said at a press conference yesterday.