Archive - 2006

January 9th

ATTAC Germany demands release of 14 HK protesters

8 January, 2006
Press release: ATTAC Germany, a globalisation critical network has demanded, in a public letter to the Chinese Embassy, the dropping of all charges against the 14 demonstrators arrested during the protests at the WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong last month.

January 8th

10,000 protest US-Thai FTA talks

7 January, 2006
Thousands of Thais representing a diverse swath of society ranging from garlic growers to HIV/AIDS activists gathered outside a hotel in Thailand

January 7th

The high cost of free trade

6 January, 2006
When the free trade agreement with the United States kicked in a year ago, Bill Rush saw his big chance. His company, Australian Defence Apparel, makes ceramic plates to be worn over bulletproof vests to protect troops against armour-piercing fire. The Australian-owned company has beaten German and Israeli competition to supply the British Army and London Metropolitan Police with its plates. The prospect of a $40 million-plus sale to the US Army beckoned.

January 6th

Farm groups disappointed with Hong Kong, wary of new Farm Bill

5 January, 2006
U.S. farm groups disappointed with the result of the Hong Kong ministerial say they will oppose a future Doha round deal and reduced subsidies in a new farm bill unless a multilateral deal produces real market access gains, particularly in developing countries.

January 5th

International Campaign for the Immediate Release of WTO Political Prisoners

An international campaign for the release of the 14 activists arrested in Hong Kong during the WTO 6th Ministerial Conference.

January 4th

Exports plummet in post FTA trade

3 January, 2006
Government figures show Australian exports to the US have fallen since the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into force a year ago. In the 12 months to October last year, Australian exports to the United States fell by 4.7 per cent while US imports rose by 5.7 per cent.

WTO again delays ruling in row over EU GMO policy

3 January, 2006
A world trade ruling in a high-stakes row between the European Union and the United States and others over genetically modified crops has been delayed and is unlikely before February, trade diplomats said on Wednesday