US


Korea, US free trade deal to take effect March 15
A long-delayed free trade deal between the United States and South Korea will go into effect on March 15 following months of technical-level talks, officials said on Tuesday, cheering business groups that have waited years for the day.
US wants more talks on Japan bid to join Pacific trade group
The United States said on Wednesday it was still considering whether to support Japan's bid to join talks on a trans-Pacific regional free trade agreement, three months after Tokyo announced interest in the negotiations.
Taiwan urged to follow chewing gum example in addressing beef issue
A Singaporean academic suggested Sunday that Taiwan follow Singapore's approach to a sticky controversy with the United States over a chewing gum ban as it grapples with a dispute over imports of US beef.
Keeping SOPA measures out of trade agreements ACTA, TPP
As protests against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) sweep across Europe, two conclusions are possible: the era of closed-door IP policy is over; and the content industry's insatiable quest for more power and control is no longer irresistible.
Chevron's secret arbitration violates human rights
The Andean Commission of Jurists and five prestigious international law experts from around the world have joined a growing chorus of criticism targeting Chevron's attempt to use a secret investor arbitration as part of its campaign to evade an $18 billion environmental judgment in Ecuador, according to letters released today.
KORUS FTA battle coming in April general election
Democratic Party lawmaker Chung Dong-young and former Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon had a number of face-offs during the final National Assembly debates just prior to the railroading of the South Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement ratification in October. Now the two men, who battled each other from the two extremes on the KORUS FTA issue, may be facing off once again for Seoul‘s Gangnam-B seat in April’s general election.
Major hypermarkets trying to deal with US beef issue
Four major hypermarkets in Taiwan have been making efforts to reassure consumers about the safety of their beef products, amid speculations that Taiwan may be preparing to lift its ban on US beef imports that contain residues of the feed additive ractopamine in order to facilitate trade talks
US-Colombia FTA still waiting for unionist violence to be addressed
The United States said Monday Colombia had not yet met its obligations to protect labor unionists required for the Free Trade Agreement to come into effect.
Nepal-US TIFA meeting postponed to Sept
At the upcoming meeting, Nepali entrepreneurs are expecting that the Government would work out a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to improve garment and Pashmina item exports to the US, exports of which have been declining since 2000.
Group vows to protest if ban on ractopamine lifted
An association of hog growers threatened Friday to mobilize its members in protest outside the Presidential Office if the government buckles under pressure and allows the entry of US beef imports containing a banned leanness-enhancing drug.