(Europa.eu)

U.S., European trade negotiators battle political headwinds

New York | Reuters — Facing deeply entrenched differences and political headwinds, the top negotiators trying to reach a sweeping U.S.-European free trade deal avoided agriculture, public procurement and other thorny issues in talks this week. Instead, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Daniel Mullaney and European Commission lead negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercera said on Friday they […] Read more

Sea Temple of Pura Luhur, Uluwatu, south Bali, Indonesia. (CIA.gov)

Australia, Indonesia renew push for trade deal

Sydney | Reuters — Australia and Indonesia on Wednesday said they would formally resume long-stalled negotiations aimed at sealing a bilateral trade agreement between the often uneasy neighbours within 18 months. Australian Trade Minister Steven Ciobo and Indonesian Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong said in a joint statement talks would resume in May after a […] Read more


A town square in Aguas Calientes, near Machu Picchu in southern Peru. (CIA.gov)

Peru lifts trade barriers to U.S. beef

Washington, D.C. | Reuters — Peru has agreed to lift its remaining safety barriers to U.S. beef exports, further opening one of the fastest-growing markets in Latin America to U.S. ranchers, Obama administration officials said Monday. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the agreement with Lima will remove certification requirements […] Read more

Motherland Monument, Kiev. (CIA.gov)

Packers approved to move beef, pork to Ukraine

Inspectors have approved 15 Canadian beef and pork processing plants to export to Ukraine, more than doubling the number of Canadian meat plants able to ship to the country. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday announced Ukraine has, essentially, approved beef and pork exports from any Canadian federally-registered establishment […] Read more


(PortMetroVancouver.com)

Canada seen dawdling on TPP ratification

Reuters — Canada is set to hold back on ratifying a key Asia-Pacific trade treaty, a move that would assuage critics but might hamper Washington’s bid to build domestic support for the deal, according to sources close to the talks. Canada is one of 12 nations that initialed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in early October, […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Colombia clears paper trail for more Canadian wheat

“Continuous engagement” has led to a lighter regulatory load on Canadian wheat bound for Colombia, already Canada’s seventh-biggest wheat export market. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and trade group Cereals Canada on Tuesday announced Colombia has eased phytosanitary import rules for Canadian wheat, “effectively putting Canada on a level playing field with other exporting countries.” Colombia’s […] Read more



(Cia.gov)

Canada/Korea trade pact to kick in Jan. 1

Legislators in both Canada and South Korea have ratified the two countries’ bilateral free trade deal to take effect next month. Canada’s Trade Minister Ed Fast on Wednesday announced the Canada-Korea Economic Growth and Prosperity Act has received royal assent just as the South Korean National Assembly has passed its Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) […] Read more