Canada is looking at slapping duties on iconic U.S. products ranging from California wine to ketchup after the World Trade Organization found the country’s meat labelling laws offside for a second time in two years. A WTO appeal panel ruled that a U.S. law that requires grocery stores to list the country of origin on meat products discriminates against Canadian and Mexican livestock. The decision was made public Monday.

BRUSSELS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Monday took the official decision that it no longer considers it necessary to pursue the "trade defense investigation" into Chinese telecommunications equipment. According to a Commission statement, "intensive discussions between the Commission and the Chinese government were concluded by an amicable settlement" on the issue.

MILAN- Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said one way to deepen collaborations between Asia and Europe is to work towards an EU-ASEAN free trade pact. He said there is a lot of synergy between the two regions, and that Asia and Europe start from a good base to deepen cooperation. Mr Lee was addressing European and Asian political leaders during a plenary session at the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Milan. The closed-door plenary was themed "Promoting Financial and Economic Cooperation Through Enhanced Europe-Asia Connectivity".

Taiwan has confirmed its desire to forge a trade deal with Australia and rejected suggestions that mainland China could "meddle" in its efforts for deeper regional ties. "While mainland China's economic rise has indeed made it an important trade partner to many countries, Taiwan by no means requires the mainland's approval to enter into trade talks with neighbours," said Taiwan executive Yuan spokesman Sun Lih-chyun.

Wikileaks has released a new draft of the intellectual property chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, revealing that the US is still pushing for draconian measures on copyright infringement. “By publishing this text we allow the public to engage in issues that will have such a fundamental impact on their lives,” says Wikileaks editor in chief Julian Assange.

MILAN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China and South Korea have pledged efforts to promote economic and trade cooperation with the focus on a free trade agreement. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said his country is willing to work with Seoul to build a comprehensive and high-level free trade area at an early date. Promoting free trade and investment facilitation can be a silver bullet for the slow global economic recovery, Li told South Korean President Park Geun-hye at a meeting on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Milan.

(Reuters) - Medicine costs would rise if draft proposals in a Pacific Rim trade pact come into force, health and consumer rights advocates said on Thursday after the release of a leaked negotiating text. Documents published by whistle-blowers WikiLeaks showed countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) were still far apart on issues such drug patents, copyright and other intellectual property questions.

MILAN (Italy): Malaysia is keen to push for talks on free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU). Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said Malaysia was a strong proponent of free trade. "Malaysia is actively pursuing FTAs with a number countries, including European Free Trade Association countries. "And negotiations on FTA between Malaysia and EU should proceed," he said.

Vietnam is forecast to spend as much as US$4.5 billion on imports of animal feed material, and another $400 million on cattle and poultry meat shipments this year, the head of the Vietnam Livestock Association said Wednesday. Imports of raw materials to make livestock feed, mostly corn and soybean, are expected to increase by around $600 million compared to last year to a record high of $4.5 billion, Nguyen Dang Vang said at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City.

(Reuters) - Progress in U.S. talks with Japan towards a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact is encouraging, but difficult issues remain, the acting deputy U.S. trade representative said on Wednesday. Hopes of sealing the deal this year took a blow last month, when talks between the two nations seen as key to concluding the ambitious 12-nation trade pact hit a snag, with each side blaming the other for a stalemate over farm exports.