October 8, 2020: ‘Raising the cost of climate action?’, a new report from the International Institute for Environment and Development issued on October 4, 2020, includes a focus on coal-fired power stations covered by investment treaties which contain Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions.
October 7, 2020: The Nation magazine has started the investigation of investments that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation may have in the pharmaceutical companies wanting to manufacture possible COVID-19 vaccines. The Gates Foundation is the key funder of Gavi The Vaccine Alliance and CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, as well as being a co-leader in the World Health Organisation’s COVAX Facility and Advanced Market Commitment funds.
October 6, 2020: India and South Africa have asked the World Trade Organisation on October 2, 2020, to waive some provisions in its TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement to make vaccines and treatment more accessible to low-income countries, reported Pharmalot.
September 30, 2020: AFTINET's submission to the Review of Bilateral investment Treaties (BITs) is here.
September 28, 2020: Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison re-announced Australia’s A$80 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) to the UN General Assembly on September 26.
September 23, 2020: As former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott now advises the British government in its trade negotiations with the European Union, Australia and New Zealand, the trade unions from the three countries have issued a united call for decent work and high standards of health, environment and public services.
In case you missed our online 20th Birthday Party on Thursday September 17, 2020.
We had lots of positive messages that it was a great celebration of our collective efforts for trade justice.
Please feel free to share. through the links below.
Clare Middlemas
Happy birthday AFTINET! Clare from the ACTU calling from the land of the Wurundjeri people.
Don Sutherland
September 17, 2020: Reports on the Energy Charter Treaty process to ‘modernise’ continue to demonstrate entrenched opposition to efforts to make it support the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global warming to less than 20C.
September 15, 2020: British trade Secretary Liz Truss and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu agreed in principle on September 11 to a free trade agreement, the UK’s first major trade deal as an independent trading nation.
The UK sees this deal forming a pathway to further market access under the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Transpacific Partnership (CPTPP), which Japan will support as part of the agreement.