Civil society sector is demanding that the Thai government not give in on reduction of tariffs for US agricultural product, not ratify the treaty on plant varieties protection, and not recognise patenting of biological resources. In addition, they said the Thai government must resist the US demand to extend protection of pharmaceutical patent to more than 20 years or to protect data exclusivity.
The Uruguayan government plans to seek free trade agreements with the U.S. and China, Economy Minister Danilo Astori said in an interview published Thursday in a weekly Uruguayan magazine.
Uruguay's Foreign Minister Reinaldo Gargano on Friday rejected an assertion made by Economy Minister Daniel Astori that the small South American nation is seeking a free trade deal with the U.S., according to Argentine media reports.
Opponents of the Australia-US free trade agreement are nothing if not obstinate - and opportunist. A year after the deal was done the world has not ended, but they still say catastrophe is imminent, especially for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
The Labor Party's 2004 amendments to the legislation enabling the free trade agreement with the US have nothing to do with good policy and everything to do with good politics.
WHEN the free trade agreement with the United States kicked in a year ago, Bill Rush saw his big chance. His company, Australian Defence Apparel, makes ceramic plates to be worn over bulletproof vests to protect troops against armour-piercing fire.
An official from Thailand's bilateral Free Trade Agreement negotiating team today disputed claims by opposition groups that a free trade agreement with the US would adversely affect the country's prescription drug market.
The Senate committee on foreign affairs will petition the Constitutional Court on Tuesday to seek a review of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) proceedings, claiming they have contravened the constitution.
Korea and the U.S. could start negotiations for a free trade agreement in April, an insider said Friday. The government is reportedly thinking of announcing the expected benefits of an FTA in President Roh Moo-hyun's New Year's meeting with the press around Jan. 17. The FTA could be concluded around next March after a year or so of negotiations, the source added.
Opposition to a proposed Thai-US free-trade pact is threatening to escalate into a political time bomb, as a senator yesterday moved to challenge the deal's constitutional legitimacy and called for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to step down.
The heated debate over intellectual property is one of the sticking points in the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Thailand and the United States, which are scheduled to resume next week.
