HCM CITY (VNS) — Bilateral trade between Viet Nam and Laos is expected to reach US$1.5 billion this year, according to the Lao Consul General in HCM City. Speaking at a ceremony in HCM City yesterday to mark the 39th anniversary of the National Day of Laos (December 2), Southideth Phommalat said two-way trade was worth $995 million in the first nine months of the year compared to $733.5 million in the same period last year. Viet Nam is now the second largest investor in Laos with 423 projects worth a total investment capital of $5 billion, he said.

The Obama administration Friday appealed a recent World Trade Organization ruling that would have limited meat-origin labeling, angering Canadian officials who threatened retaliation for what they called violations of international trade rules. The flap concerns a multiyear battle among the U.S., Mexico, and Canada about new rules that would require companies to list the national origin of beef, pork and other meats sold in the U.S.

The World Trade Organization says the United States has filed an appeal of a ruling that found the country's meat-labelling laws discriminate against Canadian beef and pork exports. The ruling last month found that changes the U.S. made to its country-of-origin policy known as COOL violate trade rules because it treats Canadian and Mexican livestock less favourably than U.S. livestock. Federal Trade Minister Ed Fast said Friday that Canada is deeply disappointed with the U.S. decision to appeal.

Turkey and Russia agreed to sign an agreement to negotiate the elimination of trade barriers between two countries, Economy Minister of Turkey, Nihat Zeybekci said on Friday. “On Monday at the High-Level Russian-Turkish Cooperation Council Summit, we will sign an agreement of historical importance in my opinion, which initiates official free trade negotiations with both country’s leaders” Zeybekci said.

Are the stars aligning for both passage of a trade promotion authority bill by Congress and approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement?

A third round of negotiations on a broad-based free trade agreement between the EFTA States and Malaysia took place in Geneva from 25 to 28 November 2014.

GENEVA, Nov 27 (Reuters)- A World Trade Organisation dispute panel ruled on Wednesday that Peru was violating global trade rules in imposing additional duties on key agricultural products when their international prices fell below a set floor. The case was brought to the WTO last April by Guatemala, which argued that its exports to Peru had suffered under the measure that is intended to protect Peruvian farmers from turbulence on global commodity markets. The commodities affected were rice, sugar, corn, milk and a range of milk products.

(Reuters) - The World Trade Organization adopted the first worldwide trade reform in its history on Thursday, after years of stalemate, months of deadlock and a final day's delay following an eleventh-hour objection. The agreement means the WTO will introduce new standards for customs checks and border procedures. Proponents say streamlining the flow of trade will add as much as $1 trillion and 21 million jobs to the world economy.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled in favor of Vietnam in a dispute concerning US anti-dumping duties on certain frozen warm-water shrimp from Vietnam. The duties in question were imposed in 2005 after the US International Trade Commission determined that the US shrimp industry was being materially injured by dumped imports of non-canned warm-water shrimp from Vietnam. The US Department of Commerce (USDOC) imposed the anti-dumping duties at estimated rates ranging from 4.30 percent to 25.76 percent.

New Delhi: A deal between India and the US to end the stalemate over the Bali trade package has raised the possibility of a permanent solution to the issue of public stockholding for food security purposes by the end of next year.