Webinar: Changes needed in post-pandemic trade policy, June 23, 2-3.30 pm, EST
Sign the PETITION to the Senate against damaging clauses in RCEP
The RCEP is a massive trade deal being negotiated in secret between Australia, New Zealand, China, South Korea, Japan and the ten-member countries of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations). The proposed RCEP would cover 2.2 billion people. India left the negotiations in November 2019, but may re-join before it is signed in late 2020.
We need to tell all political parties in the Senate not to agree to damaging clauses in the negotiations.
Sign the PETITION to the Senate against damaging clauses in the proposed RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) and in favour of enforceable workers' rights and environmental standards.
You can print a hard copy of the Petition here, and donate to the campaign here.
See more information, including a short printable flyer here, and a longer explainer here.
RCEP countries reduce demands in effort to get India to rejoin
June 3, 2020: In an astonishing backdown, the remaining 15 states negotiating for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership reportedly told the Indian government that it could defer any stronger market access commitments, and was welcome to sign the draft agreement in November 2020.
US – China standoff undermines post-Covid-19 global recovery prospect
June 1, 2020: During April and May the institutional arrangements for global cooperation to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic – the UN Security Council, the World Health Organisation, the G7 and G20 – failed to provide leadership, largely due to the US Trump Administration.
Global public sector union investigates e-commerce / digital economy impact
May 27, 2020: The Public Services International report, Digital Trade Rules and Big Tech: surrendering public good to private power, by Professor Jane Kelsey, University of Auckland, analyses the e-commerce chapter of the Comprehensive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership and some specific case studies, with alarming conclusions and a call for action.
India opposes rejoining RCEP over China concerns
May 21, 2020: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s decision to quit the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership grouping, which includes the 10 ASEAN nations, in November 2019, and a new deadline for India to consider a new offer on market access expired on May 15, 2020.
US disassociates itself from cooperative access to medicines in unanimous World Health resolution
May 20, 2020: The World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the draft resolution on COVID-19 which endorsed the central role of the World Health Organisation in the global response to the pandemic, called for the greatest cooperation between member states in providing resources and sharing knowledge about treatments and vaccines for the new coronavirus, and established two investigations – one into the origins of the coronavirus and how it was transmitted to humans, and one into the response to the pandemi
World Health Assembly defuses investigation demand, focuses on cooperation to contain COVID-19 pandemic
May 19, 2020: Agenda Item 3 at World Health Assembly, taking place virtually over May 18-19, 2020, firmly endorses the role of the World Health Organisation, calls for maximum cooperation to develop treatments and vaccines for the new corona virus, and sets up two investigation processes into the COVID-19 pandemic.
China’s actions on Australian barley and beef follow WTO rules but are part of harmful polarisation
May 13, 2020: The headlines suggest that China’s threat to impose punitive tariffs on imports of barley from Australia, valued at A$1.3 billion, and banning of Australian beef over labelling issues are all about Prime Minister Morrison’s call for an investigation of China’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health experts urge WHO to ensure global availability of COVID-19 medicines
May 12, 2020: Patents and other intellectual property rights could really slow down efforts to treat, contain and eradicate the new coronavirus, as was seen in the case of the A/H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, argues Ellen ’t Hoen, a specialist lawyer at Medicines Law & Policy, The Netherlands.