:: 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

Bush's pointsman has his job cut out

21-Mar-2005

After weeks of uncertainty, President George W Bush has nominated as US Trade Representative Rob Portman, a Republican Congressman from Ohio, better known for his loyalty to the President than for any experience in international trade negotiations.

Bush taps congressman as US Trade Representative

17-Mar-2005 LA Times

Faced with tough political battles over a controversial trade pact with Central America and rising imports from China, President Bush announced today that he had enlisted a congressional insider and loyal supporter to be his new trade chief.

Bush administration submits annual trade report to Congress

2-Mar-2005 USTR

The Bush Administration today submitted to Congress the 2005 Trade Policy Agenda and the 2004 Annual Report of the President on the Trade Agreements Program.

An FTA with the US, what are we really in for?

1-Mar-2005

Regional and bilateral trade agreements have been around since the 1950's. In the last decade however, there has been an increasing spurt of trade pacts being signed all over the world that pose challenges to the multilateral trading system.

Gloomy trade outlook

24-Feb-2005 UPI

Economic considerations are well down the list of reasons why bilateral trade agreements get negotiated

We must lead the way on free trade

22-Feb-2005

Free trade is one of the critical components of U.S. efforts to develop enduring, stabilizing influences in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa -- key regions for our work to thwart the rise of terrorism and illiberal government.

Peter Mandelson speech on 'Strengthening the Lisbon Strategy'

16-Feb-2005 European Commission

"The hoped-for success of Doha should be complemented by bilateral or regional initiatives, such as Regional Trade Agreements with Mercosur and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which allow the pursuit of a wider agenda."

WTO wrong to abandon core values

15-Feb-2005

Free trade agreements are popping up everywhere. In its first term the Bush administration pushed four through Congress and started another three. China is negotiating FTAs with Chile and New Zealand. And Australia has negotiated three with Washington, Singapore and Thailand, and is in the process of dealing with Beijing. Not everyone thinks they are good.

The rush to regionalism

3-Feb-2005 IISD

This paper aims to set out the issues of importance in addressing the links between sustainable development and the rush to regionalism (FTAs).

Regional, bilateral deals seen as impeding trade

18-Jan-2005

Far from being a stepping stone to freer trade, the NAFTA and other regional and bilateral trade deals have created a conflicting web of preferential arrangements that may be impeding rather than spurring trade, the authors of a report commissioned by the World Trade Organization have concluded.

:: 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