Updates on Free Trade Agreement Negotiations

The following is a list of updated efforts to conclude new free trade agreements around the world:

1. Chile and Turkey conclude FTA talks

2. Belarus signs FTA with Serbia

3. Nicaragua walks out of talks on EU-Central America FTA

4. Korea-EU FTA hung up on drawback


To read the details of each agreement, please visit WorldTrade\Interactive.

Canada Moves Forward on FTAs with Colombia, Peru

The Canadian government announced recently that legislation has been introduced to implement the free trade agreements Canada recently concluded with Colombia and Peru. Trade minister Stockwell Day said these FTAs will provide Canadian companies with “a competitive edge in many sectors, including wheat, paper products, mining, oil and gas, engineering and information technology.” The agreements also include “robust” side agreements on labor and environmental standards.

An FTA between the U.S. and Peru took effect Feb. 1 but a similar pact with Colombia has yet to pass Congress. Both the White House and key Democratic lawmakers have said they plan to establish benchmarks with respect to labor rights in Colombia that will have to be met before legislation to implement that FTA will be taken up. Minister Day indicated that Canada is taking a different approach, stating that “we believe that engagement, rather than isolation, is the best way to support positive change.”

To view the full article, visit WorldTrade\Interactive at http://www.strtrade.com/wti/wti.asp?pub=0&story=30702&date=4%2F6%2F2009&company=

Surface Trade Declined in 2009 between Canada and Mexico

Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 27.2 percent lower in January 2009 than in January 2008, dropping to $47.5 billion, the biggest year-to-year percentage decline on record, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (Table 1). The $47.5 billion in U.S.-NAFTA trade in January 2009 was the lowest monthly amount since January 2004.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico fell 10.3 percent in January from December. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 88 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in January was up 3.9 percent in the five-year period compared to January 2004, and up 31.6 percent over the 10-year period compared to January 1999 (Table 3). Imports in January were up 26.4 percent compared to January 1999, while exports were up 38.1 percent.

To read the full article, visit the Bureau of Transportation Statistics at http://www.bts.gov/press_releases/2009/bts015_09/html/bts015_09.html

Growing Together: Insider Perspectives on the NAFTA Nations' Economies

It has been more than 15 years since the United States, Canada, and Mexico signed the North American Free Trade Agreement, dramatically changing the region's trade prospects and economic reckoning. But is NAFTA leaving global trade dollars on the table by not being as competitive as it could be?

To answer that question, Inbound Logistics and sister publication Inbound Logistics México hosted a panel of North American trade and transportation experts. They recently met in Dallas to discuss the common trade interests among the three countries and to develop plans for fostering greater cooperation.

The group included the Canadian Consul General and representatives from the advocacy group North American SuperCorridor Coalition (NASCO), Mexico's Urban Land Institute think tank, the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, the Port of San Antonio, and other organizations leading the drive for development in the three countries. The participants discussed the NAFTA partners' shared challenges, strategies for strengthening individual and collective economies, and the importance of logistics in the public and private sectors.

To find out how these thought leaders are coming to grips with the challenges facing the NAFTA countries, view the full article at Inbound Logistics at

http://www.inboundlogistics.com/articles/features/0109_feature08.shtml

EU Pursuing Individual FTAs with Andean Countries

According to press reports, the European Union has broken an impasse with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and plans to launch talks this week on bilateral free trade agreements with each of those countries.

For the complete article, please visit http://www.strtrade.com/wti/wti.asp?pub=0&story=30204&date=2%2F5%2F2009&company=

China & Switzerland to Consider Free Trade Pact

Today Switzerland became the first country whose investors will receive a "higher level" of protection in China, under the terms of a bilateral agreement signed during a working visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The two countries also agreed to set up a working group to study a free trade agreement that should go into effect "as soon as possible."

To read the full article, visit http://genevalunch.com/2009/01/28/china-and-switzerland-investment-protection-signed-free-trade-under-study/

Peru FTA Announcement

The Peru-US Free Trade Agreement was passed by the U.S. Congress on December 4, 2004 and signed by former President Bush on December 14, 2007. The agreement provides for reductions in tariffs and facilitates trade between the two countries. The FTA is effective February 1, 2009 and for imports on or after that date, most products (including textiles) from Peru will become duty-free immediately if they meet the FTA requirements. The agreement also contains provisions that provide for stronger protection in intellectual property rights, protection for U.S. investors in Peru, as well as commitments to internationally recognized labor rights.

The summary can be downloaded from the Meeks, Sheppard, Leo & Pillsbury website: http://www.mscustoms.com/Reference.htm.

Canada, India to Discuss Possible FTA

The Canadian government announced Jan. 21 that it has agreed to initiate exploratory discussions toward a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with India. At a meeting this week Canadian Minister of International Trade Stockwell Day and Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath stressed the need to further tap the potential for increased bilateral trade and investment, especially in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture and related activities, and industrial goods. They also acknowledged the progress made on the Canada-India Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and emphasized the need for an early implementation of that pact.



To view the article, visit WorldTrade/Interactive at http://www.strtrade.com/wti/wti.asp?pub=0&story=30076&date=1%2F22%2F2009&company=

Obama to Push for Stalled Trade Pacts

President-elect Obama wants to win Congressional approval of long-stalled free-trade deals with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, but more work is needed, according to Rep. Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.


"The president-elect wants to work with Republicans and Democrats to get those trade agreements moving," the New York Democrat said in a Jan. 15 meeting where he outlined the committee’s priorities for the year, Reuters reported.



To view the full article, visit Shipping Digest at http://www.shippingdigest.com/news/article.asp?sid=5819&ltype=trade%20

US Implements FTA with Peru

President Bush issued Jan. 16 a proclamation implementing the U.S. free trade agreement with Peru. Effective Feb. 1 this proclamation will modify the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to reflect the duty benefits and rules of origin under this FTA, remove Peru as a beneficiary country under the Generalized System of Preferences, set forth special provisions concerning textiles and apparel, and make technical and conforming changes in the HTSUS general notes. The proclamation also makes certain technical changes to the HTSUS to properly implement the U.S. FTAs with Morocco, Bahrain and Costa Rica.

For the full article, visit WorldTrade\Interactive at http://www.strtrade.com/wti/wti.asp?pub=0&story=30061&date=1%2F20%2F2009&company