#EU: Euro Parliament Ratifies New Zealand Trade Deal

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An EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will remove 100% of New Zealand tariffs on EU exports on its entry into force and will lift 98.5% of EU tariffs on New Zealand trade after seven years.

The agreement, approved with 524 votes in favor, 85 against and 21 abstentions last Wednesday, safeguards all EU geographical indications (GIs) for wines and spirits along with a list of 163 famous EU foodstuff GIs. 

The deal also defends European producers of sensitive agricultural goods, such as beef and several dairy products. 

Described by MEPs as a “gold standard” agreement, this FTA is the EU's first to include enforceable commitments to the Paris Agreement and to core International Labor Organization (ILO) standards.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA: Bill Prioritizes East African Goods, Services

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Uganda's Parliament has considered President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s recommendation on prioritisation of procurement of goods, works and services from the East African region under the passed National Local Content Bill, 2022.

President Museveni returned the Bill, that was initially passed by parliament on 6th September, 2022 disagreeing with Clause 4 which provided that a local entity shall give preference to goods which are manufactured and services which are provided by Ugandan entities.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#THEPHILIPPINES: Marcos Visits China To Deepen Ties

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Beijing yesterday for a 48-hour visit, during which he is expected to meet Chinese leader Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 and his No. 2 Lǐ Kèqiáng 李克强 in a bid to deepen ties with the world’s second-largest economy.

The visit will be Marcos’s first foreign trip for 2023 and his first bilateral visit to a non-ASEAN country, ever since the son of the former dictator won a sweeping election victory in May.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ALBANIA: Three Balkan Nations Sign Trade Deal

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Five new agreements were signed on Tuesday after a meeting in the Albanian capital Tirana between the leaders of Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia as part of the Open Balkan initiative, which aims to replicate the Schengen Zone’s free flow of people, capital and goods, initially between the three countries but potentially across the entire region.

The agreements between the three countries covered labour market access, the interconnection of electronic identification schemes, and cooperation on veterinary medicine and food safety.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Trade Deal With Australia Inked

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The broad terms of a trade deal between the UK and Australia have been agreed to, the BBC has reported, with a formal announcement expected this week.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison agreed the deal over dinner at Downing Street.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SWITZERLAND: Swiss Break Off Treaty Talks With EU

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After years of talks, Switzerland has scrapped efforts aimed at agreeing an over-arching treaty with the EU.

Switzerland is not in the European Union but has signed up to many of its policies, such as freedom of movement.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: European Parliament Approves #Brexit Trade Deal With UK

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The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of the post-Brexit trade deal between Britain and the European Union, clearing the last hurdle towards full ratification of the accord.

EU lawmakers backed the trade and cooperation agreement by 660 votes to five, with 32 abstentions.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Britain To Apply For Membership In Trans-Pacific Partnership Trading Bloc

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The UK will shortly submit its formal request to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trading bloc, said UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss.

The CPTPP is a trading bloc established in 2018 between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

The United States withdrew from the TPP in 2017, leading to the failure of the original trade deal, which required all signatories to agree. It was reconstituted in December, 2018 with the current members.

[FULL STORY HERE] 

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world. 

 

#UK: Free Trade Deal With Singapore Signed

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Singapore and the UK has signed a free trade deal in the Southeast Asian city-state.

The deal will cover a trade relationship worth more than $22bn (£17bn).

The agreement largely mirrors an existing deal between Singapore and the European Union (EU).

It is part of a broader set of trade negotiations for the UK, as it seeks to replicate trade pacts which will cease when the EU transition period ends.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Final Brexit Deal Reached Between UK And EU

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The EU and UK have reached a post-Brexit trade deal, ending months of disagreements over fishing rights and future business rules.

At a Downing Street press conference, Boris Johnson said: "We have taken back control of our laws and our destiny."

The text of the agreement has yet to be released, but the PM claimed it was a "good deal for the whole of Europe."

Labour Party Leader Sir Keir Starmer - who campaigned against Brexit - said his party would vote for the deal in the Commons, ensuring it will pass.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: UAE And Israel Sign First Agreement After Mutual Recognition

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Israel and the United Arab Emirates have signed a first formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) on banking and finance, including preventing terror financing, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday as an Israeli delegation ended a landmark visit to Abu Dhabi to promote normalization between the countries.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BRAZIL: Dutch Parliament Scuttles EU-South America Trade Deal

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A Free Trade Agreement between the EU and four South American countries, known as the MERCOSUR trade bloc, has been voted down by the Dutch parliament.

This not only puts the largest-ever EU trade deal at risk, it also doesn’t bode well for the upcoming Dutch vote on the ratification of the trade deal between the EU and Canada.

Under European rules all member states must vote in favor of trade deals. The Austrian Parliament has also voted against this deal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BELGIUM: New Law Would Ensure Employment Continuity In Case EU Negotiations With UK Fail Over Brexit

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The federal parliament has approved a bill intended to ensure the continuity of employment in Belgium in the event of a h" Brexit.

The terms of the UK leaving the European Union are being negotiated currently, and are expected to be finished by December of this year.

The new law contains a series of measures designed to prepare the country for the eventuality that the United Kingdom will definitively leave the European Union at the end of the transition period in December without having reached an agreement with the EU.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BRAZIL: Negotiations Begin On Brazil/Mexico Free Trade Agreement

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The Brazilian government have announced that it had begun negotiations for a free trade agreement with Mexico, a pact that would be between the two biggest economies in Latin America.

The two countries began formal talks this week and it is hoped that the South American country will be able to increase trade with Mexico, mainly in agricultural products, Marcos Troyjo, special secretary for Foreign Trade and International Affairs at Brazil's Ministry of Economy, told reporters.

He explained that the exchanges are part of his government's efforts to open up its economy and be able to negotiate with all countries. A free trade agreement between the two countries for the import of automobiles and auto parts came into force in mid-March.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: France, Ireland Threaten To Block EU/South American Trade Deal Over Rainforest Destruction

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Members of the European Parliament from France and Ireland are threatening to block a trade deal between the Europe and South America's trading blocs over rampant destruction of the rainforests in Brazil.

Environmentalists accuse Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro of cutting protection to the area deemed crucial to combating climate change. The rainforests are being clear cut for farming at a record pace, say environmentalists. NASA, however, has said that overall fire activity across the Amazon basin this year has been close to the average compared to the past 15 years.

For now,E officials are defending the deal, which has taken 20 years to hammer out with the Mercosur trading bloc, because they say it ties them into honoring the Paris Agreement's environmental rules.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#SOUTHKOREA: Pres. Moon Jae-in Offers Olive Branch In Trade Talks

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South Korean President Moon Jae-in offered an olive branch to Japan to end an ongoing trade dispute Thursday, saying Seoul will "gladly join hands" if Japan wants to talk.

Moon's government has been accusing Japan of weaponizing trade to target its export-dependent economy and retaliate against South Korean court rulings calling for Japanese companies to offer reparations to South Koreans forced into labor during World War II. Tokyo's measures struck a nerve in South Korea, where many still harbor resentment over Japan's ruthless colonial rule from 1910 to 1945.

After threatening stern countermeasures and declaring that South Korea would "never lose" to Japan again, Moon has taken a more conciliatory tone over the past week as there was relief in Seoul that the impact of Japan's trade measures might not be as bad as initially thought.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ITALY: European Union's Leaders Say Italy's "New Silk Road Deal" With China Is "Naive"

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EU leaders displayed a united front towards China on Friday (22 March) and warned the Italian government of the consequences of signing a bilateral deal with Beijing to become part of the new ‘Silk Road." The warnings came from both more protectionist-minded countries and free trade champions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Italy on Friday and Saturday to sign a memorandum of understanding with Rome to become part of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative, China’s ambitious plan to finance infrastructure projects connecting Europe, Asia and parts of Africa.

Italy would not be the first EU member state to sign up, but it would be the largest European economy to sign the deal, and the first G7 nation. The initiative has become controversial given the strict conditions imposed by Chinese authorities. African nations have been threatened with confiscation of nationally-owned assets if they don't repay loans in a timely manner.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Chancellor Of The Exchequer Hammond Promotes PM May's Brexit Plan At Party Conference

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Chancellor of the Exchequer (a job comparable to America's Treasury Secretary) Philip Hammond has voiced support for Theresa May's Brexit plan, calling on colleagues to unite behind the prime minister to get the "best possible outcome" in negotiations with the European Union for Britain to leave the European trading bloc.

In his speech to the Conservative Party's conference in Birmingham, the chancellor said he shared May's "determination" to get her blueprint for Britain's EU exit approved, despite strong opposition within the Conservative Party itself. Some believe it leaves the UK too closely aligned with the EU's rules and regulations.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: PM May Demands "Respect" From EU After Brexit Plan Rebuffed

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Prime Minister Theresa May has made a dramatic speech on TV in which she decried the EU's terse rejection of her plan to take the United Kingdom out of the European trade area.

May said the UK "demands respect" from the EU, and said talks had reached an "impasse" that needs "serious engagement" from the EU side. Following a conference in Salzburg, Austria, European Council President Donald Tusk said a "compromise" was possible but the UK proposals had to be "reworked."

May's plans had already come under fire by her own party as being too much of a compromise with the EU.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Chancellor Merkel Visits China To Seek "United Front" Against Trump's "America First" Trade Policies

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Chancellor Angela Merkel has made a visit to China, reportedly seeking to "close ranks" with the world's biggest exporting nation and find "a common strategy" with the Communist nation to ward off a trade war. Ahead of the visit, China's envoy to Germany, Shi Mingde, pointed to a "protectionist trend in Germany," and complained about toughened rules protecting German companies from foreign takeovers. It was Merkel's 12th visit to China as chancellor.

[FULL STORY HERE]