There are proposals in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that government regulation should have no compulsory disclosure of source codes, no restriction on transfer and processing of data outside the country, and no requirements for computing facilities to be locally based. These proposals raise questions about the ability of governments to have effective national regulation of data privacy and data security.

India is host to the 19^th round of negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership at Hyderabad this week and next. But Indian society itself is strongly opposed to draft clauses in the RCEP.

The New Indian Express reported on July 19 the fears of Kiran Vissa of the Raithu Swarajya Vedika, farmers’ organisation.

Foreign Investor rights to sue governments is a hot button issue at the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) talks underway in Hyderabad, India, on July 17-28, 2017.

India’s Mohdi government wants to be a champion of globalisation and free trade, and India wants more Foreign Direct Investment. But India is hurting from cases already mounting against it.

July 17, 2017: Leaked Philip Morris documents for the years 2009-2016 reveal its massive effort to neutralise the United Nations Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, as well as Australia’s plain packaging law.

July 14, 2017: more than 100 small business leaders sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump urging the President to ensure that the re-negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and other global trade pacts does not allow foreign multinational corporations to attack US laws that protect US communities and the environment.

July 12, 2017: US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has told the US Senate Finance Committee on June 21 that he is working to advance each point of President Trump’s trade policy agenda, which includes promoting U.S. sovereignty, enforcing U.S. trade laws, leveraging American economic strength, protecting U.S. intellectual property rights, and reducing America’s persistent trade deficit.

July 10, 2017: Media Release: “We welcome the international tribunal decision that Philip Morris tobacco company should pay the costs of its failed case against Australia’s 2011 plain packaging law. But it is absurd and unacceptable that the tribunal has not released the amount of the costs, which have been blacked out of the published decision,” Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network Convener Dr Patricia Ranald said today.

July 7, 2017: The TiSA (Trade in Services Agreement) talks are currently in limbo pending a signal from the Trump administration about its intentions. This report provides the latest analysis of the leaked texts which restrict governments’ ability to regulate and provide essential services.