January 24, 2017: Dr Particia Ranald's oped in the Fairfax media argues for inclusive and progressive fair trade policies as an alternative to both fundamentalist 'free' trade and Trump and Hansen's knee-jerk nationalism and discrimination based on fear.
11 January 2017: A new research paper in Third World Resurgence outlines key concerns that civil society groups, treatment providers and academics have regarding not only the intellectual property proposals but also the continuing lack of transparency in the RCEP negotiation process.
20 December, 2016: The Productivity Commission Final Report on Australia’s intellectual property policy shows how it has been constrained by trade agreements. Global pharmaceutical companies have successfully lobbied for longer monopolies in trade agreements which have delayed the availability of cheaper medicines, resulting in higher prices.
13 December, 2016: Canadian mining company Eco Oro has filed an ISDS claim against a Colombian court decision to limit its mining activities for environmental reasons.
8 December 2016: A new report has revealed the growing use of corporate lawsuits against Asian countries and warns that ISDS provisions in the RCEP could lead to millions of dollars being drained from public budgets in the region.
6 December 2016: The Indonesian Trade minister officially opened the sixteenth round of RCEP negotiations today and was met with protests outside the convention centre. Protesters are concerned that the RCEP could contain dangerous TPP clauses which would undermine access to medicines in the region and allow corporations to sue governments.
6 Dec 2016: Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is concerned that the RCEP will contain similarly damaging provisions for access to medicines as the TPP, as sixteen countries resume negotiations this week in Tangerang, Indonesia. Watch MSF's video and read their media release here.
Media Release, November 30 2016: The failed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should not be used as a model for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)*, 316 civil society organisations from across the Asia Pacific have warned as the sixteenth round of negotiations begin this week in Indonesia.
Nov 25, 2016: The sixteenth RCEP negotiating round will be held near Jakarta, Indonesia from the 2-10th December. Media reports indicate that India and some other countries are resisting the TPP-like proposals on stronger medicine monopolies and investor rights to sue governments.
Donald Trump didn’t kill the TPP. His opposition was only the final blow which came at the end of more than six years of criticism in the US, Australia and other countries by public health, environment, church, union and other community groups, writes AFTINET Convener Pat Ranald for Fairfax media.