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  1. Negotiations

EU-Korea


In May 2007, the European Union and South Korea started negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement. It took effect on 1 July 2011.

This deal is part of the EU’s post-2006 "Global Europe" strategy to boost the competitiveness of EU corporations in the world by securing deeper commitments to neoliberal policies from trading partners, including expanded rights for European transnationals. In Korea, the European Union is trying to win equal, if not better, footing against US firms after the conclusion of the US-Korea FTA. (The EU makes stronger demands than the US on Korea in the areas of intellectual property, services, competition policy and environmental standards.)

Social movements from both sides mobilised against the deal’s potential impacts. One flashpoint of concern is for Korea’s agricultural sector, where pig farmers in particular are expected to suffer from an influx of subsidised EU pork as a result of this deal.

last update: May 2012
photo: European External Action Service - EEAS/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

S. Korea, EU to announce conclusion of FTA later Monday: official
13-Jul-2009     Yonhap
South Korea and the European Union (EU) have reached agreement on a proposed free trade deal, leaving only initialing and signing of the agreement before it can be submitted to their respective legislatures for ratification, a South Korean official said Monday.
South Korea-EU FTA’s poisonous articles
13-Jul-2009     Hankyoreh
Although the Lee Myung Bak administration is not revealing any concrete details, if you look at the draft agreement that has been unofficially confirmed, the content of the South Korea-EU FTA is just as worrisome as that found within the FTA with the US.
EU-South Korea trade pact marks trouble, Ford says
10-Jul-2009     Reuters
A proposed trade pact between South Korea and the European Union is one-sided and could threaten automobile manufacturing in Western Europe, a top Ford Motor Co executive said on Thursday.
S Korea-EU FTA imminent
8-Jul-2009     Xinhua
The South Korea-European Union free trade agreement is at the final stage of negotiations, Yonhap reported Wednesday.
EU and Korea fail to conclude free trade deal
25-May-2009     EU Observer
Leaders from the European Union and South Korea called for a quick conclusion to the ongoing discussions over a free trade agreement after a summit between the two sides in Seoul on Saturday (23 May) failed to produce a breakthrough.
EU agrees to final push in South Korea trade talks
9-May-2009     AFP
EU governments renewed on Friday their support for wrapping up floundering free trade talks with South Korea, a European Commission spokesman said.
Removing the Korea-EU FTA beef imports provision
24-Apr-2009     Hankyoreh
As negotiations for the South Korea-European Union free trade agreement (Korea-EU FTA) race into their final stages, the inner workings are starting to come to light.
EU's response key to success of FTA
7-Apr-2009    
A successful conclusion to the free-trade agreement talks between Korea and the European Union will hinge on the EU's understanding of Korea's need for the duty drawback measure, Seoul's chief FTA negotiator said yesterday.
Don't proceed with haste on the Korea-EU FTA
6-Apr-2009    
South Korea and the European Union (EU) failed to finalize their negotiations on a free trade deal. The failure comes as both sides were unable to narrow the gap on the so-called 'duty drawback issue,' although they ironed out differences in almost all other remaining areas.
EU, Korea failed to finalize trade pact in London
3-Apr-2009    
South Korea and the European Union failed on Thursday to finalize a free trade deal, South Korean officials here said, adding they would seek a way to conclude the deal. South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon and his EU counterpart Catherine Ashton met here to narrow differences on some remaining sticky issues, including a so-called duty drawback scheme and rules of origin, but failed to wrap up the agreement.

Referenced sites

EU-Korea FTA SIA

The EU-Korea FTA Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) is intended to produce studies in order to provide a deeper understanding of the sustainability...