[Ip-health] EU and South Korea initialed trade agreement

[Ante]

The New York Times and others are reporting the EU - South Korea Free Trade
Agreement is initialed. The text is still secret, but work on translations =
can
start now, so the text may be available soon.

"After two years of tortuous negotiations, an agreement was initialed in
Brussels by the European Trade Commissioner, Catherine Ashton, and her Kore=
an
counterpart, Kim Jong Hoon.

The pact now needs approval by the E.U.=E2=80=99s 27 member states, some of=
 which face
intensive lobbying against it from sectors like the automotive industry. Bu=
t
Ms. Ashton said she had the backing of all E.U. member states to go ahead."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/business/global/16trade.html

According to the Commission web site, both the EU Member States and the
Parliament have to approve:

"The initialling of the FTA signifies the closing of negotiations with a st=
able
legal text, which the European Commission will formally present to EU Membe=
r
States in early 2010. Following signature of the agreement by the EU
Presidency and the Commission, the FTA will be presented to be approved by =
the
European Parliament. Entry into force of the agreement would then be expect=
ed
in the second half of 2010. "

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues/bilateral/countries/korea/pr151009_en.htm

Documents on the EU Council server suggest the FTA may contain criminal
measures: "Free Trade Agreement with Korea. - Position of the Member States=
 of
the European Union on criminal provisions (Sub-section 2-criminal enforceme=
nt)
to be included in the Free-Trade agreement with South Korea"

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/servlet/driver?page=3DResult&lang=3DEN&=
ssf=3DDATE_DOCUMENT+DESC&fc=3DREGAISEN&srm=3D25&md=3D400&typ=3DSimple&cmsid=
=3D638&ff_TITRE=3DFree+Trade+Agreement+with+Korea&ff_FT_TEXT=3D&ff_SOUS_COT=
E_MATIERE=3D&dd_DATE_REUNION=3D

Criminal measures need unanimous approval of the Member States.

vriendelijke groet,
cordialmente,

Ante