Pascal Lamy: Use multilateral trade negotiations and the WTO system as impetus for greater regional integration
WTO News, 29 January, 2012

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, in a speech at the African Union summit on 29 January 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said that "there is absolutely no contradiction between accelerating regional integration and deepening the
multilateral trading system." More...

Europe's carmakers hit out at India trade deal
PTI, 29 January, 2012

Europe's carmakers are crying foul over a proposed trade agreement between the European Union and India, which they say would restrict access to one of their most important but highly protected markets. More...

Heart breaker: US says Pakistan cannot offer much in free trade
The Tribune, 27 January, 2012

The United States has said that a free trade accord is too big for Pakistan as there is no match between the economies of the two countries, says a top official of the commerce ministry. In a briefing to a National Assembly panel on Thursday, Commerce Secretary Zafar Mahmood said the US instead asked Pakistan to seek unilateral trade concessions as the free trade agreement required both countries to provide relaxations and Islamabad could not offer much to Washington. More...

Canada seeks to carve out agriculture, telecom in EU trade talks: documents
The Canadian Press, 25 January, 2012

Leaked documents suggest Canada is seeking to carve out telecommunications and agriculture from any new trade agreement with the European Union. But there is no exemption for water services, a sore point with critics of the negotiations with the world's richest market. More...

Peru to conduct market research study on Russia, India FTAs in H2 2012
Andina, 23 January, 2012

Peruvian Trade and Tourism Minister Jose Luis Silva announced Monday that the market research studies before starting negotiations on free trade agreements (FTA) with Russia and India will be conducted during the second half of 2012. More...

'Free trade agreement' prospect for whisky in India
BBC Scotland, 23 January, 2012

The Scotch whisky industry is in for a pleasant surprise on exports to India, according to the country's chief trade negotiator. Dr Rahul Khullar, also the commerce secretary in the New Delhi government, told BBC Scotland there was a "very strong" prospect of a free trade agreement this year. More...

Thailand seeks conclusion on Thai-Indian FTA this year
The Nation, 23 January, 2012

Thailand sets to complete the negotiations on the Thai-Indian free trade agreement (FTA) within this year, in its bid to boost bilateral trade to US$16 billion in 2015. The Trade Negotiations Department announced the schedule ahead of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's official visit to India during Jan 24-26 to participate in the national day's celebration. More...

India-EU FTA will not be inked at Delhi Summit: Envoy
Business Line, 23 January, 2012

The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement will not be inked during the summit scheduled to be held here on February 10. More...

US, Mauritius Hold TIFA Consultations
Reuters, Egypt Independent, 18 January, 2012

Deputy United States Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis has led a US delegation to Mauritius for talks with the local government under the US-Mauritius Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), to discuss a broad range of issues relating to their bilateral trade and investment relationship. More...

Trade minister: Egypt open to trade talks with US
Reuters, Egypt Independent, 18 January, 2012

Egypt's trade minister on Tuesday courted badly needed US investment with a promise Cairo would maintain open markets, and said the Egyptian government was open to pursuing free trade talks with the United States. More...

ASEAN, EU Discuss FTA Issues
Tax-News.com, 18 January, 2012

Officials and business representatives from the ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and the European Union (EU) have recently held a meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, to discuss the challenges and opportunities of free trade agreements (FTAs). More...

India, EU FTA will take more time to materialize
SME Times News Bureau, 17 January, 2012

The Free Trade Agreement between India and European Union will take more time to materialize, said EU Foreign Policy Chief, Baroness Catherine Ashton on Monday. More...

China, GCC agree to accelerate FTA negotiations
Xinhua, 16 January, 2012

Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdullatif al-Zayani agreed on Sunday to speed up negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two sides. Setting up the free trade zone will boost trade and economic cooperation between China and the GCC, enhance their overall relationship, and have a positive influence on the whole world, Wen said.  More...