Unique t-towels with Tandberg and Wilcox cartoons for AFTINET Anniversary only $20!
These collectors' items with brilliant cartoons by well-known artists Ron Tandberg and Cathy Wilcox .are only $20! Latest News
These collectors' items with brilliant cartoons by well-known artists Ron Tandberg and Cathy Wilcox .are only $20! 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.
AFTINET submission: China FTA has not met expectations
August 4, 2020: AFTINET’s submission to the DFAT five-year post-implementation review of ChAFTA is here. A summary is below.
AFTINET criticised the lack of human rights and labour rights in China when ChAFTA was first proposed. Trade and diplomatic tensions between China and Australia have since increased in the context of the US-China trade wars. However, some cooperation continues through international institutions like the WHO and the WTO, which is essential in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. AFTINET will not be drawn into cold war rhetoric but will continue our criticism of the lack of human rights and labour rights in China, and of those provisions in the ChAFTA that are not in the interests of workers and communities in Australia and China.
AFTINET submission to the parliamentary committee review of the trade agreement process seeks change
August 3, 2020: The AFTINET submission to the Joint standing Committee on Treaties review is here, with a summary below.
No ISDS in proposed UK – Japan Free Trade Agreement
July 29, 2020: It appears that the Japanese and British governments will not be sued by UK and Japanese corporations under the terms of a proposed free trade agreement which they want to conclude by January 1, 2021. That is when the United Kingdom is expected to finally break with the European Union, with or without a trade agreement.
Indian government to stay out of RCEP and review all FTAs
July 28, 2020: Following a recent meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and an assessment of the outcomes of all India’s free trade agreements by the Commerce & Industry and Finance Ministries, the Indian government has created four working groups to develop a new trade strategy to boost foreign investment and expo
Trade and Global initiatives to make COVID-19 vaccine available to all – TRIPS, C-TAP, COVAX, Gavi, CEPI
Explainer
Vaccines and WTO trade rules (TRIPS)
EU Court decision that US does not meet data privacy standards could challenge data deregulation through trade deals
July 20, 2020: The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on July 16 that EU data agencies must suspend data transfers to any country where the EU standards for data privacy cannot be met. It ruled that one particular arrangement, the US Privacy Shield, failed to meet the standards, and this has a direct impact on Facebook.
Civil society groups urge G20 Finance Ministers to cancel debt and increase health care in low income countries
July 17, 2020: Finance Ministers of the world's richest countries are meeting at the G20 on July 19 to discuss how to respond to the #Covid19 pandemic. Sixty-four countries spend more on debt repayments than healthcare.
The Covid-19 crisis could mean 500 million more people are pushed into poverty. In 2020 the group of 76 poorest countries are due to spend:
Big Tech’s Plans for New WTO Rules over Data Access and Control Exposed
July 16, 2020: A new paper written by Deborah James of the Washington-based Center for Economic and Policy Research and published by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation argues that giant tech corporations are trying to use trade rules to collect more data, exercise more control over people’s lives and over their workers, and amass ever more profit.