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The livelihoods of millions of small farmers, street traders and patients are at risk under the terms of a new trade deal being negotiated by the EU and India which has been hijacked by big business, a new joint report from Corporate Europe Observatory and India FDI Watch reveals

President Mugabe has urged the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa to broaden its Free Trade Area to take on board other regional blocs and move away from exporting primary products in favour of processed goods.

The Philippines has signaled its interest to the European Union to engage in talks for a free trade deal, Trade officials told reporters in a briefing on Wednesday.

Both Brazil and the EU find themselves in a bit of a fix on the question of accommodating Mercosur within their bilateral relations.

India and New Zealand will meet in October in Wellington to speed up the ongoing talks for a market opening pact, aims to enhance the USD 754 million trade between the two nations.

Canada and Costa Rica have agreed to work toward modernizing the existing bilateral free-trade agreement, announced Peter Van Loan, Canada's minister of international trade, who just concluded his five-day, four-country visit to Latin America.

Korea is on track to have a second free trade partner in South America after Chile back in 2003.

India will soon implement the free trade agreement (FTA) in goods with two more Asean countries — Indonesia, Cambodia — by slashing duties on hundreds of products including seafood, chemicals, apparel and tyres. In turn the two countries will also slash import duties on hundreds of Indian goods.

A statement of concern about the international investment regime and its impacts on human development and environmental sustainability, supported by academics with expertise in investment law, arbitration, and regulation, from 24 universities across nine countries, is available for sign-on.

"It is an honour to be the Chief Guest at the AGM of the Import Section of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. I thought that it will be appropriate to share some of my views of the import sector of Sri Lanka so as to identify its current role in the Sri Lankan economy and its role in the future.

The latest push to eliminate obstacles could help the Gulf Cooperation Council Customs Union ease transportation of goods and services across the region from next year.

Mongolia hopes to move its comprehensive partnership with Japan to a new level, said Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj on Monday.

The private sector has been urged to actively participate in the formulation of policies that will help guide the proposed Free Trade Area of COMESA, East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

President Jacob Zuma said on Monday in opening the India Show that SA would be deepening strategic partnerships with India, especially in the areas of science and technology, agriculture, human resource development and security.

India today said it will explore opportunities for a comprehensive market opening trade pact with South Africa as the two nations are likely to touch the $10 billion bilateral commerce this year.

The Indian government's doublespeak on generic medicines has the stakeholders in a tizzy.

The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have decided to explore the possibility of reaching a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and a free trade agreement.

Southeast Asia is emerging from the global economic downturn much faster than the old continent – a scenario that holds a vast potential for the EU to push further its exports.

Australian companies and investors have been advised to get ready to grab business opportunities in Malaysia as the free trade agreement between the two countries is expected to be signed later this year.

As hopes for free trade agreements with China and Japan fade, there is a push for Australia to start talks with Taiwan.