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Across the board

This section contains news and analysis of sweeping developments that affect the overall push and pull towards FTAs and bilateral investment treaties. This means major trends relating to bilateralism, often with global consequences, and other cross-cutting issues. New developments arising from US politics, the WTO or South-South alliance-building, for instance, are often reported here as they tend to have systemic impacts.

last update: May 2012

Spying by NSA ally entangled US law firm
17-Feb-2014     New York Times
The Obama administration often emphasizes the NSA’s role in fighting terrorism and cyberattacks, but disclosures in recent months from the documents leaked by Mr. Snowden show the agency routinely spies on trade negotiations.
TPP would 'upgrade' US trade pacts, says US Commerce chief
5-Feb-2014     WSJ
The TPP is designed "to create a high-standard global trade agreement that addresses a bunch of issues that have not been addressed before in our trade agreements," US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said, adding, "And frankly, if we don't do it, someone else is going to set the standard."
Not a hacker or whistleblower? Here's how you can still liberate secret documents
3-Feb-2014     Waging Nonviolence
When there are documents that the public has a right to know about, we have a right to go take them, writes Daniel Hunter
Harry Reid deals body blow to Obama on trade
30-Jan-2014     WSJ
US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid broke publicly with the White House Wednesday on trade policy, instantly imperiling two major international trade deals and punching a hole in one piece of the economic agenda the president outlined in his State of the Union address a day earlier.
US trade debate prompts fears of delay in talks
20-Jan-2014     FT
In an interview with the Financial Times, Mexico’s economy minister said governments in the TPP talks were unlikely to offer any significant concessions until they were sure Mr Obama had fast-track authority. A senior EU official said officials in Brussels were bracing for a TPA debate that could last through this year and inevitably affect TTIP negotiations.
US lawmakers propose fast-track bill for trade agreements
10-Jan-2014     Reuters
US lawmakers on Thursday proposed a bill to give the White House power to fast-track international trade agreements as the United States gears up for a hectic year of trade negotiations.
Business groups back Obama on trade amid historic debate
6-Jan-2014     Bloomberg
Some of the largest US business groups are lining up behind President Barack Obama to pressure Congress to clear the way for a pair of trade deals that could set rules for more than half the world’s economy.
TPP, TTIP could alter US textile & apparel trade
5-Jan-2014     Fibre2fashion
From the view of the textiles and apparel industries, all eyes will be on whether a yarn-forward provision has been included or not in the final documents.
Economy for life in our Earth community
20-Dec-2013     Focus
This living document is a result of an extensive process led by the Social Movements for an Alternative Asia (SMAA), Gerak Lawan, La Via Campesina and the supporters of the #EndWTO Campaign.
Debate over proposed global trade agreements
19-Dec-2013     Diane Rehm Show
The pros and cons of two trade agreements in the works, TPP and TTIP, from a US perspective.