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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

EU balks at action on Japan economic pact
29-Apr-2010     Financial Times
The European Union on Wednesday agreed to launch a "joint examination" of its trade and investment ties with Japan, but waved aside Tokyo's call for preparations for an "economic integration agreement" that supporters say would benefit both sides by billions of euros a year.
Hoyer says trade deal vote this year doubtful
23-Apr-2010    
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Thursday it was doubtful that the House this year will take up pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
Memo to US: only fools rush in
22-Mar-2010     Guardian
If negotiators aren't careful, a US-China investment treaty could prove as explosive as currency manipulation or climate change
Obama trip may alter US misperception of Asean, Ministers say
1-Mar-2010     Bloomberg
Southeast Asian countries are split on Obama’s top trade initiative, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he aims to turn into a platform for economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region.
Obama export plan includes trade deals - Geithner
4-Feb-2010     Reuters
President Barack Obama's plan to double US exports over five years includes passing free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea that have been delayed for years, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday.
Obama urged to move on Latin FTAs
29-Jan-2010     LBC
Latin America business leaders and experts are urging President Barack Obama to ask Congress to ratify pending free trade agreements with Colombia and Panama after his State of the Union speech Wednesday pledged to strengthen ties with those countries.
A brief Q&A with the US trade representative
12-Dec-2009     LA Times
Ron Kirk offers a status report on pending trade agreements and an overview of the administration's trade strategy
US senators urge renegotiation of US trade deals
1-Dec-2009     Reuters
A group of US senators urged President Barack Obama on Monday to back legislation requiring the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement and a long list of other trade pacts they blame for millions of lost US manufacturing jobs.
Matrix of FTAs in the world
1-Dec-2009    
Contributed by Amalinov
Back to Basics on Asian Trade
9-Nov-2009     Back to Basics on Asian Trade
The proliferation of FTAs has more costs than benefits.