:: 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

Fast-track: Enabler of the “free trade” agenda

28-Aug-2013 New American

“I have heard the argument that transparency would undermine the administration’s policy to complete the trade agreement because public opposition would be significant,” a US senator wrote. “This argument is exactly backwards. If transparency would lead to widespread opposition to a trade agreement, then that trade agreement should not be the policy of the United States.”

TPP, TTIP, and Congress: the elephant in the room

9-Aug-2013 Lexology

Even assuming agreements can be reached and all foreign partners can deliver, there is an elephant roaming in these negotiating rooms: US Congress.

FTA with European Union kicks in

2-Aug-2013 Newsroom Panama

Free trade agreements signed by the European Union with Panama, Colombia, Honduras and Nicaragua came into force on Thursday August 1.

Call for Action from Gerak Lawan

19-Jul-2013 Action Plan of Gerak Lawan

Big trading blocs moving at breakneck pace to raise free trade standards

22-May-2013 IP Watch

The pace to negotiate bilateral or plurilateral free trade agreements has been accelerating rapidly over the last month as the big trading blocs seem eager to position themselves in the race for market access and standards. Special report for Intellectual Property Watch.

Exclusive: EU says Chinese FTA possible, but wants market opening

22-May-2013 Reuters

The European Union is willing to deepen trade ties with China but wants to see concessions from Beijing first, documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday showed.

L'OMC a-t-elle encore un avenir ?

10-May-2013 La Tribune

Roberto Azedevo vient d'être choisi pour diriger l'institution à l'heure où les accords bilatéraux ont le vent en poupe. Ce type de contrats va pourtant à l'encontre du principe même de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC). L'institution internationale doit-elle se sentir menacée?

EU hesitant on free trade deal with China: Report

7-May-2013 AFP

Even as it seeks free trade deals with the United States and Japan, the EU sees little near-term prospect of a similar accord with China, one of the bloc's most important trading partners, a senior EU official said Tuesday.

Political corruption and the 'free trade' racket

30-Apr-2013 Al Jazeera

The US-EU free trade pact and TPP are about securing regulatory gains for major corporate interests, writes Dean Baker.

China left out of Obama free trade party

2-Apr-2013 FT

Obama's new trade approach might be characterised as ABC – Anyone But China.

:: Across the board ::

Referenced sites

21st Century Trade Agreements: Implications for Long-Run Development Policy

#A18DoA - Global day of action to defeat free trade and investment treaties

Alianza Social Continental

ICC

Movimientos.org

Pambazuka

People over profit

Peoples Global Action

Regional/Multilateral Integration Agreements

SOMO

South Centre

Stop fast track!

ISDS Case Map