ISDS Case Map
Pacific Islands / Pacific Forum
Pacific NGOs, churches and trade unions working on trade justice issues are concerned about the push for free trade agreements in the Pacific and the grave risk that these agreements pose for our people.
Pacific NGOs, churches and unions have released a joint statement on trade justice in the Pacific warning of the costs of a free trade deal with Australia and NZ, and urging Pacific leaders to be wary that a new seasonal workers' scheme could be used as a bargaining chip to enter free trade negotiations.
Under pressure to sign on to new free trade agreements, Pacific Islands governments interested in securing positive outcomes for their peoples see deals on labour mobility as potential development gains. But is this the right approach? And what are the potential costs?
Australia has been accused of trying to fast-track new free trade negotiations with Pacific Island countries at a recent regional trade ministers' meeting in the Cook Islands.
This may include setting up a regional office to focus on issues of traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights.
Sovereignty must be partially surrendered if Pacific islands countries are to maintain solidarity in trade negotiations. Pacific countries who are members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific bloc of states had a rude realisation of this basic and age-old truth in their on-going negotiations with the European Commission for an economic partnership agreement.
Tuvalu has become the 11th Pacific Forum Country to ratify the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA).
New letters show extent of dissent among Pacific trade ministers as ministers accuse top EU trade official of being "domineering" and using divide and rule tactics to split the region.
Senior trade officials from around the Pacific region will finalise trade deals as an extension to the existing Pacific Islands Countries Trade Agreement by October.
The Pacific ACP Trade Ministers from the region have agreed to proceed as a group with negotiations of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the European Commission by the end of the year.
