Free Trade Agreements
The World’s Biggest Trading Bloc Does Not Include the United States
By Vijay Prashad and John Ross On November 15, 15 Asian and Pacific countries signed an agreement known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) that unites 30 percent of the global population and 30 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP). The entire trade area, which runs from… »
What to do about the EU’s new trade agenda in Latin America?
By Florian Horn – 16.11.2017 – Rosa-Luxemburg-Foundation Brussels Report from the forum on “The Shape of Trade to Come” About ten years ago, the European Union (EU) introduced Global Europe, its most ambitious trade policy strategy to date. It was intended to open up new markets worldwide… »
Behind the bipartisan wall
Extending the Wall separating the United States and Mexico: the Western press condemns it, leaving no ground for appeal. Manlio Dinucci on the other hand, recalls that far from resulting from a desire to protect and [erect barriers], it is the product of a policy to globalize [and dismantle barriers]. »
NGOs launch massive lawsuit against EU-Canada trade deal
German activists have launched the country’s largest-ever civil lawsuit in protest of a planned free trade agreement between the EU and Canada. They argue the trade pact violates the constitution and the rule of law. A group of German NGOs filed a complaint to the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, asking… »
Flush the TPP
By Amy Goodman with Denis Moynihan President Barack Obama and the Republicans in Congress are united. Yes, that’s right. No, not on Obamacare, or on the budget, or on negotiations with Iran, or on equal pay for women. But on so-called free-trade agreements, which increase corporate power and reduce… »
A Plan Only Banksters Will Love: WikiLeaks Reveals Trade Deal Pushing Global Financial Deregulation
The pro-transparency group WikiLeaks has released the secret draft text for the Trade in Services Agreement, TISA, a trade agreement covering 50 countries and more than 68 percent of world trade in service. Until now, the draft has been classified to keep it clandestine, not only during the negotiations, but… »
NAFTA at 20: Lori Wallach on U.S. Job Losses, Record Income Inequality, Mass Displacement in Mexico
Pressenza Note – The US is in the process of signing Free Trade Agreements: Trans Pacific and with the EU. Both have been highlighted as disasters waiting to happen in [9terms of the potential to increase inequalities, destroy local economies, increase privatisation of Health Services and remove environmental protection. We… »
When foreign investors sue the state
Global Trends by Martin Khor for Third World Network The investor-state dispute system, whereby foreign investors can sue the government in an international tribunal, is one of the issues being negotiated in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. ————————————————– In the recent public debate surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), an… »
“A Corporate Trojan Horse”: Obama Pushes Secretive TPP Trade Pact, Would Rewrite Swath of U.S. Laws
Read the Full Transcript here As the federal government shutdown continues, Secretary of State John Kerry heads to Asia for secret talks on a sweeping new trade deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The TPP is often referred to by critics as “NAFTA on steroids,” and would establish a free trade zone that would… »
The Role of the State in Developing Countries under Attack from New FTAs
By Martin Khor In this column, Martin Khor, the executive director of the South Centre, warns that industrialised powers are taking aim against the role of the state in developing countries. GENEVA, Aug 17 2013 (IPS) – Two new trade agreements involving the… »