Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA)

 

The 18 countries of Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) hope to unified their customs by 2015 in a full free trade agreement.

 

The Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) is a pan-Arab free trade area that came into existence in 1997. It was founded by 14 countries (Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates). Four more countries joined the trade area later: Algeria, Jordan, Palestine and Yemen.

 

Please follow the link for more.

News from European Union

 

* The 2013 European Neighbourhood Policy Package

 

The EU published its 2013 ENP proposed to the 16 of EU’s closest neighbours – Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine.

 

Check here and here.

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————–—

 

 * The Council adopts energy infrastructure regulation

 

——————————————————————————————————————————————–—

 

* New EU label for venture capital and social entrepreneurship funds

 

More Trade News in Brief – Week 50 (10 – 16 December 2012)

 

* Austria & Chile Signed DTA

 

A bilateral double taxation agreement (DTA) has been signed between Austria and Chile.

 

Kindly read more here.

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

 

* Nordic Nations Extended Their Network of TIEAs

 

The Nordic group of territories (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands) has extended their network of TIEAs to 40 after signed a new tax cooperation agreement with Jamaica.

 

More details following the link.

 

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

 

* EU approved New FTAs

 

11 December 2012

 

The EU’s Parliament approved two landmark pacts trade with Colombia, Peru and six countries in Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama).

 

Please check here for further details.

 

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

 

* EU-Russia Relations

 

13 December 2012

 

“EU-Russia relations are still suffering from Russia’s failure to embrace democratic values fully and strengthen the rule of law” state the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

 

Kindly read more here.

 

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

 

* UN Extends Sanctions on Liberia

 

12 December 2012

 

The UN Security Council  extended the sanctions imposed on Liberia for another year.

 

Follow the link for more information.

 

OPEC Published Annual Statistical Bulletin 2012

16 July 2012

 

The OPEC Secretariat released the online edition of its 2012 Annual Statistical Bulletin (ASB).

 

The ASB is a compilation of statistical data about global petroleum industry and activities (oil and gas natural)  in OPEC’s 12 Member Countries (Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. and Venezuela) as well as in non-OPEC oil producing countries around the world.

 

To download the pdf version of the ASB, please visit the OPEC’s website.