The European Union isn't planning to start talks with Japan on a bilateral free-trade agreement, the director general for trade at the European Commission said Monday at a news conference in Tokyo. Japanese business leaders are concerned that if an EU-South Korea FTA takes effect, some Japanese industries would lose European market share to their South Korean rivals.
The Spanish tuna-fishing and processing company Grupo Calvo has been accused of serious anti-union practices in El Salvador. The paradox is that Calvo had insisted that this Central American country approve labour laws required by the European Union for the purpose of obtaining tariff exemptions, as a condition for continuing to invest here.
Heads of government and policy organs of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) will meet in the Kenyan capital Nairobi from May 11-23 to consider the progress made on the Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union among other things.
The EU concession announced last week to remove all remaining quota and tariff restrictions on ACP products includes a phase-out period for rice and sugar, but does not mention bananas.
The European Union celebrated its 50th birthday on March 25, since the signing of the founding Rome treaty, a pact originally comprising six Western European nations. France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg sealed an economic co-operation that was meant to avoid future wars.
The Coordinating Office for Trade Negotiations is in charge of taking the country into a free trade deal with the European Union before the end of the year.
With a slim victory in the recent provincial election under his belt, Quebec Premier Jean Charest hopes to herd the feds and other provinces towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the 27-member European Union.
The European Union (EU) has been accused of trying to introduce structural adjustment in developing African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations by way of economic partnership agreements (EPA).
The Mozambican government is preparing its position for negotiations with the European Union, scheduled to begin in May, on the controversial Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).
As official talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the U.S. have been completed, attention is focused on possible trade negotiations between Korea and other nations, such as the European Union and China.