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  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

How insane is global trade?
26-Mar-2019     Local Futures
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)
13-Mar-2019     Common Dreams
Free trade is simply a euphemism for the corporate capture of international trade.
Winners and losers
23-Feb-2019     New Internationalist
How the Global South is affected by the current trade turmoil – and old patterns of power.
Just, open and green
22-Feb-2019     New Internationalist
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.
Thousands protest in Argentina during G20 Summit
1-Dec-2018     NBC
Members of 70 different groups joined forces to call attention to a range of concerns, from workers’ rights to climate change.
Anti-G20 protesters prepare to march on Buenos Aires
30-Nov-2018     Buenos Aires Times
Thousands of anti-capitalist activists will take to the streets of Buenos Aires today as part of a week-long set of demonstrations against the G20 Leaders Summit.
US to open trade talks with Japan, EU, UK
16-Oct-2018     The Hill
The Trump administration has notified Congress of its intent to negotiate three separate trade deals with Japan, the European Union and the United Kingdom.
US to seek currency chapters in trade talks with Japan, others: Mnuchin
14-Oct-2018     Reuters
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says that Washington wants to include a provision to deter currency manipulation in future trade deals, including with Japan, based on the currency chapter in the new deal to revamp NAFTA.
US may push Japan, EU not to strike trade deals with China: Ross
8-Oct-2018     The Mainichi
The "poison pill" provision to deter trade deals with China in the new US trade agreement with Canada and Mexico may be replicated in future US trade pacts, such as those with Japan and the European Union.
The real problem with free trade
11-Sep-2018     Project Syndicate
Free trade has enabled a few companies to secure monopolies or near-monopolies, which has given rise to massive inequalities.

Referenced sites

Third World Network

TWN's website is a good source of information and analysis about what's happening within the multilateral trade system (WTO, UNCTAD, G77, etc).

WorldTradeLaw.net

WorldTradeLaw.net offers a free library of current trade news and resources; a database of dispute settlement tables and statistics; and a user-friendly sear...