:: 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


Trump races for trade deals with Japan and India as China fight persists
The Trump administration is racing to announce limited trade deals with Japan and India, as President Trump tries to score some wins amid a protracted trade fight with China
Turkey, US to hold talks on free trade agreement, Erdoğan says
Turkish President announced that he and his US counterpart agreed to kick start free trade agreement talks and that officials from both nations will shortly begin preparations.
How unique are preferential trade agreements?
A large portion of the content of preferential trade agreements is copied word for word from earlier agreements, finds a study
Trump's 'America First' policy driving other countries to ink trade deals, analysts say
Europe, Asia, Africa rush to nail down accords
Quantifying the policy space for regulating capital flows in trade and investment treaties
The international trade and investment treaty regime is increasingly restricting the policy space for regulating cross-border financial flows, study finds.
Call for mobilization to defend our alternatives against the G7
France is the host country of the next G7 meeting to be held in Biarritz from 24 to 26 August 2019. Actions are planned during the week preceding this summit, from 19 to 23 August.
How insane is global trade?
The way trade works in the global economy can be insane – it wastes resources, worsens climate change, and undermines the livelihoods of millions of small-scale producers worldwide.
Why free trade is bad for you (or most of you at any rate)
Free trade is simply a euphemism for the corporate capture of international trade.
Winners and losers
How the Global South is affected by the current trade turmoil – and old patterns of power.
Just, open and green
Trade is for and about people. It should never be separated from its social context. Trade should improve people’s lives and the public good.