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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

GOP may have to swallow tough labor terms for trade deals
28-Mar-2007    
As the Bush administration this week pursues a breakthrough with Democratic leaders aimed at gaining congressional approval for new trade agreements, the fate of the deals appears to hinge on whether Republicans are willing to accept tough labor conditions that they assert could boost the power of unions in the United States.
Break seen in logjam over trade
28-Mar-2007    
Prospects for Congressional approval of several pending trade pacts received a surprising lift on Tuesday when Democrats in the House proposed a series of revisions that won guarded praise from both organized labor and the Bush administration.
Rangel and Levin unveil new trade policy for America
28-Mar-2007     House and Ways Committee
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Sander Levin (D-MI), today unveiled “A New Trade Policy for America,” to improve pending free trade agreements and allow for bipartisan support in the House.
Trade: Support builds for labour, environment standards
22-Mar-2007     IPS
Strong majorities in both developing and developed countries believe that international trade agreements should require governments to abide by minimum labour and environmental standards, according to a new survey of public opinion in 10 countries.
Activists seek alternative model to ‘neo-liberal' trade pacts
20-Mar-2007     New Standard
With two controversial trade deals awaiting ratification, Congress is taking stock of the White House's free-trade agenda, and activists are seizing the moment to call for policies that respond to the social needs of all countries involved.
UNCTAD meeting warns of effects of bilateral, regional FTAs
20-Mar-2007     TWN
An expert meeting was held in Geneva last week on the interface between the multilateral trading system and regional trade arrangements, organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Lawmaker rejects USTR proposal on trade pacts
6-Mar-2007    
A Bush administration proposal aimed at winning Democratic party support for free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia and Panama falls short of what is needed to strengthen the labor provisions of those pacts, a Democratic lawmaker said on Monday.
Nicaragua's Ortega asks US, EU to start free trade 'compensation funds'
1-Mar-2007     IHT
"We have explained to the Europeans that if there is no compensation fund, the association (agreement) would have no future," Ortega told a meeting of businesspeople.
Labor sees Bush trade talks with Congress failing
25-Feb-2007     Reuters
The Bush administration is unlikely to reach a deal with the Democratic-led Congress to salvage free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and Peru, the AFL-CIO said on Friday.
Free trade never was, never will be
23-Feb-2007     Lebanon Daily News
Free trade is now and always has been something of a fraud. No one ever advocates, much less implements, real free trade. Markets have to be managed, and everyone knows it. The question is, for whose benefit?