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

Report: Free trade deals don’t increase exports

17-Sep-2010 AFL-CIO Now

A new report shows that the US has had better luck getting "Made in the USA" goods into countries other than its 17 FTA partners

Progressive groups to hold anti-G20 forum, protests

14-Sep-2010 Korea Herald

Korea’s progressive activist groups are preparing massive anti-G20 rallies with international organizations, before and during the G20 summit slated for Nov. 11-12.

Brussels moves on negotiating trade treaties

12-Jul-2010 FT

The European Commission wants to replace a thicket of about 1,200 bilateral investment treaties signed by the EU’s 27 member states over five decades with far fewer treaties binding the entire bloc.

D-8 Commission establishes Preferential Trade Agreement --report

6-Jul-2010 WSJ

The Developing Eight, a group of developing countries, on Monday established a Preferential Trade Agreement to facilitate investment and economic cooperation among member states.

G20 leaders drop Doha target, see smaller deals

29-Jun-2010 Reuters

World leaders dropped a commitment on Saturday to complete the troubled Doha trade round this year and vowed to push forward on bilateral and regional trade talks until a global deal could be done.

WTO DG Pascal Lamy describes FTAs as "politically convenient" instruments

25-Jun-2010

Asean has been interested in using Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) as instruments for promoting trade in the globalised economy.

EU seals trade deals with Central America, Peru, Colombia - summary

20-May-2010 dpa

The European Union on Wednesday signed agreements liberalizing trade with Central America, Peru and Colombia, while some Latin American leaders criticized such deals as only favouring rich countries.

EU-LatAm trade deals dangerous for both sides says José Bové

19-May-2010 Euronews

“I think these agreements are dangerous for South American producers and for European producers. For example, the agro-food industry today wants to export huge amounts of milk, to try to offload surplus; that’s only for its benefit. It risks harming major milk producers Uruguay, Argentina and others.”

EU, Latam to talk trade, boycott threat looms

17-May-2010 Reuters

The European Union will seek to conclude trade agreements with several Latin American countries and revive stalled negotiations with others when 60 European and Latin America countries meet this week in Madrid.

Facts are stubborn things when it comes to trade

10-May-2010 The Hill

We're all entitled to our own opinion about NAFTA-style trade pacts, but we're not entitled to our own facts. The most peculiar claim is that the US has trade surpluses with its FTA partners, when in fact the data show we have a deficit.

Across the board

Referenced sites

21st Century Trade Agreements: Implications for Long-Run Development Policy

#A18DoA - Global day of action to defeat free trade and investment treaties

Alianza Social Continental

ICC

Movimientos.org

Pambazuka

People over profit

Peoples Global Action

Regional/Multilateral Integration Agreements

SOMO

South Centre

Stop fast track!

ISDS Case Map