bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo
  1. Negotiations

:: 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

GOP calls free trade talks "noxious," blocks deals
2-Jul-2011    
Senate Republicans today said discussions with Democrats over three pending free trade agreements have become so "noxious" that they've decided to block them.
Obama trade accord with Congress touted as Republicans balk at worker aid
30-Jun-2011     Bloomberg
The Obama administration announced an agreement for Congress to act on stalled trade accords with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, as Republicans balked at plans to incorporate aid to displaced U.S. workers.
Administration wants to send trade pacts to Congress before recess
21-Jun-2011    
The Obama administration hopes to send all three pending free trade agreements — Colombia, Panama, and Korea — to Congress before the August recess.
Machinists union launches fair trade campaign on Facebook
9-Jun-2011    
Countering GOP demands for the passage of three seriously-flawed trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM) today launched a targeted, informational ad campaign on Facebook.
Cargill CEO: Move forward on free trade
8-Jun-2011     Star Tribune
"Commercially meaningful bilateral agreements must be passed now or the United States will be left behind," warns Greg Page, the head of Cargill.
Doha talks on trade may need to be ended, US envoy Kirk says
20-May-2011     Bloomberg
The decade-old Doha round of World Trade Organization negotiations may have to be revamped or ended, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said.
Is America mis-thinking its 21st Century trade strategy?
17-May-2011     Vox
In the bilateral game, the US has enormous advantages – its huge market for imports, and its huge willingness to internationalise its supply chain via FDI, offshoring, etc. But it also has the big disadvantages – its agriculture and labour interests.
White House threatens to hold up key trade deals
16-May-2011    
The White House is threatening to hold up final passage of three coveted free trade agreements unless lawmakers expand retraining assistance for American workers who lose their jobs because of foreign competition.
Disagreements hold up free trade agreements
13-May-2011     Watertown
The American Farm Bureau Federation supports the proposed US free trade agreements with Korea, Panama and Colombia, while the National Farmers Union is opposed.
US business sees trade deals approved by July
8-Apr-2011    
A new U.S. deal with Colombia to address longstanding labor concerns should clear the way for Congress to pass three long-stalled free trade agreements by July, industry officials said on Friday.

Referenced sites

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

A publication of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future. The paper examines the policy space available under various free t...

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

Website for the global day of action to defeat free trade and investment treaties #A18DoA

Alianza Social Continental

La Alianza Social Continental es un foro de organizaciones y movimientos sociales progresistas de las Américas, creado para intercambiar información, definir...

ICC

International Chamber of Commerce

Movimientos.org

A multilingual (English, Spanish, Portuguese) website focusing on social movements and their campaigns, including those against bilateral and regional FTAs.

Pambazuka

In this week's edition of the Emerging Powers News Round-Up, read a comprehensive list of news stories and opinion pieces related to China, India and other e...

People over profit

People Over Profit is a campaign network that unites peoples movements and NGOs across the globe to stop free trade agreements (FTAs) and corporate plunder, ...

Peoples Global Action

In February 1998, movements from all continents met in Geneva to launch a worldwide coordination of resistances to the global market, a new alliance of strug...

Regional/Multilateral Integration Agreements

Selected research papers on regional trade agreements, from internationaleconomics.net

SOMO

SOMO links the negotiations and rules on international trade and investment with the actual conduct of corporations within these rules and agreements.

South Centre

An intergovernmental organisation of developing countries

Stop fast track!

10 days to stop fast track in the United States: Jan 22 - 31 2014