ISDS Case Map
UAE
Major sticking points still obstruct a deal, including Washington's insistence on improvement of labourers' rights and the country's overall human rights record.
Stop-start free trade talks between the UAE and the United States are making progress, according to the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry. The Ministry did not comment on reports that the UAE's record on human rights and the banning of labour unions are obstacles.
The United Arab Emirates is mulling whether to make political concessions to the United States in a free trade pact that has eluded both countries for nearly two years.
Free trade negotiations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United States is at risk of unraveling if an agreement can not be reached next month, UAE government officials said Monday. US oil and gas exploration and development companies stand to lose billions if the Bush administration cannot work it out in time.
The UAE has proposed an Indo-Arabic economic bloc with a view to ensure prosperity and growth over the long term for the two sides.
The Bush administration needs to wrap up a deal with the UAE by late March to get it through Congress before its "trade promotion authority" expires at the end of June.
A free trade deal between the US and the UAE is still possible, even though talks fell off track last year, a US business leader said.
"We do not need a free trade agreement with the UAE as there is already the Pan-Arab Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA), which we will implement," Prime Minister Dr Nadeef said. PAFTA is an agreement to establish a pan-Arab free trade area by 2008.
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said that Jordan is a potential market for the UAE, and the UAE could win a good chunk of Saudi Arabia's trade with Jordan.
The United States has no plans to begin new bilateral free trade negotiations with other nations, and will focus on successfully concluding the four it is actively pursuing, Washington's top trade envoy said Friday.
