BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Japan has proposed tariff cuts for products made from materials produced in countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks, negotiation sources said Thursday. For Japan, the proposal made during the ongoing round of TPP talks in Brunei means lower or no tariffs would be levied on Japanese firms’ products, subsequently boosting their competitiveness against those of countries not included in the TPP.

Australian officials participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations are continuing with their existing positions at the negotiation table, despite the two major political parties in Australia not indicating where they would stand on the issue of copyright after the election.

HANOI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam exported 4.69 million tons of rice, worth 2.05 billion U.S. dollars, in the first eight months of this year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Wednesday. The figures posted a decrease of 15.7 percent in volume and down 18.4 percent in value compared to the same period last year. The export rice price kept declining in recent months, down 3.2 percent year on year to stand at 438.49 U.S. dollars per ton on the average.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The 12 countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations are unlikely to ease their individual food safety standards as the subject is not being discussed in the free-trade talks, negotiation sources said Wednesday. 

(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Sweden next week points up the role of a pro-free trade European ally on the edge of a rapidly changing Arctic in a region where Russia is seeking more influence. The first bilateral visit by a U.S. leader to Sweden may be overshadowed by the Syria crisis, but it is timely. Obama will meet other Nordic leaders there who are keen to show the importance of Europe's northern rim as new Arctic sea routes open and CHina and Russia explore for resources.

Russians were promised lower prices when the country joined the World Trade Organization, but one year on prices continue to rise — at least for consumers. Increased competition from WTO members is lowering wholesale prices and putting huge pressure on domestic producers, but consumers continue to pay the same or more for their products because of the monopolies held by retailers in their market segments.

The proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the US and Europe will impact the GCC region’s aviation, energy and financial services’ sectors, a report has shown. International trade experts estimate that it will affect 30% of global trade.  It will also have far reaching ramifications for business in the GCC, Hill and Knowlton Strategies has said.  

(Reuters) - Asia could become twice as important to Mexico as an export market over the next five years as the country strengthens trade ties with the fast-growing economies of the region, Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said on Monday. Latin America's biggest exporter is working to diversify its trade to reduce its dependence on the U.S. market, which takes in more than three quarters of Mexico's exports.

The 19th round of Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations that kicked off in Brunei this week will pay attention to several areas where large amounts of technical work remain. Two of the most difficult areas in TPP’s talks are intellectual property rights (IPR) and market access.

TOKYO, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Japan, as one of the 12 countries involved in the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade talks, wrapped up the 19th round of talks in Brunei on Friday, while advances seemingly have been made on mutually- acceptable trade packages between the members, some pertinent issues still remain. Last month marked Japan, the world's third-largest economy's belated entry into the negotiations, but discussions in Brunei did not see the member countries reach a landmark agreement.