Study investment provisions before an FTA says advocacy group

23 April 2012

The country should carefully study investment provisions before entering into foreign trade agreements (FTAs) as these may infringe on government’s regulatory power on foreign firms, an advocacy group on Friday said.

"EU [bilateral investment treaties] have cost developing countries millions and have limited governments’ policy space to regulate in favor of national development and to protect human as well as labor rights, and the environment," said Cecilia Olivet, researcher at the Netherlands-based Transnational Institute.

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