Links

A Critical Response to the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) and the Pacific Is

This report finds that the agreements are neither in the Island countries' interests, nor have they been conceived or drafted by Pacific leaders. And the SIA appears to be an attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of Pacific leaders and peoples. (Pacific Network on Globalisation, February 2002)

http://www.france.attac.org/spip.php?article2813

(Added: Wed Nov 15 2006   Modified: Fri Jan 12 2007   Hits: 114)

Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations

The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations or PACER will go into force among the 16 member states of the Pacific Forum as soon as 7 have ratified it. It includes Australia and New Zealand, who are excluded from the Pacific Islands Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), an accord to lower tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers among the Pacific island states. This is a regularly updated dossier of links related to the agreement. (Bilaterals.org)

http://www.bilaterals.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=86

(Added: Wed Nov 15 2006   Hits: 91)

PACER Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (2001)

Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) signed in 2001 by members of the Pacific Island Forum

http://www.forumsec.org/UserFiles/File/PACER_Text.pdf

(Added: Fri Oct 22 2004   Modified: Thu Feb 08 2007   Hits: 282)

A People's Guide to PACER: the implications for the Pacific Islands of the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER)

A user-friendly report on the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) and the potential implications of a free trade agreement between Pacific island countries and Australia and New Zealand.By Professor Jane Kelsey, commissioned by Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG).

http://www.igtn.org/pdfs//347_PACERReport.pdf

(Added: Wed Aug 25 2004   Modified: Wed Nov 15 2006   Hits: 527)

PICTA, PACER and EPAS: Where Are We Going?

By Wadan Narsey, www.pacificislands.cc, April 2004. It has been a relatively easy matter for Pacific Islands Country (PIC) governments to sign regional trade agreements such as PICTA (Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement‹excluding Australia and New Zealand;) and PACER (Pacific Agreement for Closer Economic Relations‹including Australia and NZ.) The PICs are also negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) as part of the Cotonou Agreement (CA) with the European Union (EU). The EPAs will replace the trade agreement‹part of the Lome Agreement after 2007. The stated objective of all these agreements has been to accelerate PIC people's sustainable development‹creating jobs, higher incomes, and improving standards of living all round. But are PIC governments prepared for the very serious economic adjustments which will be required in the future by PICTA, PACER, the EPAs and WTO?

http://www.pacificmagazine.net/pm42004/pmdefault.php?urlarticleid=0044

(Added: Fri Apr 30 2004   Modified: Wed Nov 15 2006   Hits: 553)

Big Brothers Behaving Badly - The Implications for the Pacific Islands of the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) (pdf)

By Professor Jane Kelsey, Commissioned by PANG, 5th April, 2004. The report tells the story of how Australia and New Zealand bullied their way into an agreement the Pacific Islands did not want, the PACER agreement. But the report is more than an exposé of the Australian and NZ governments' unacceptable behaviour. It canvasses a range of strategies that would enable the governments of the Pacific to reassert their sovereign authority in relation to Australia and NZ and to draw back from PACER and PICTA. Potentially, non-government organisations, social movements, trade unions, local businesses, the media and ordinary citizens are their governments' most powerful allies. It is their lives and livelihoods that are at stake.

http://www.pang.org.fj/doc/040401bigbrothersjanekelsey.pdf

(Added: Thu Apr 08 2004   Modified: Fri Sep 19 2008   Hits: 489)

Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreements

On the 18th August 2001, at the 32nd Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru, Forum Leaders endorsed and signed the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) and the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA. + Frequently Asked Questions - PICTA and PACER. (pdf) + Key Features - PICTA and PACER (pdf) + PICTA - Full Legal Text (pdf)

http://www.forumsec.org/UserFiles/File/SPARTECA_Status_Report.pdf

(Added: Thu Feb 21 2002   Modified: Thu Feb 08 2007   Hits: 463)