For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar. Please bear in mind that dates and times of WTO meetings are often changed, and that the WTO does not always announce the important informal meetings of the different bodies.
Coming up in the next two weeks
19-23 September, Chiba, Japan: FIFTH SESSION OF THE CODEX AD HOC INTERGOVERNMENTAL TASK FORCE ON FOODS DERIVED FROM BIOTECHNOLOGY. The Codex Alimentarius Commission, at its 23rd session in 1999, established an Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology to consider the health and nutritional implications of such foods. For further information contact the Codex Secretariat, tel: (+39 06) 57051; fax: 5705.4593; email: codex@fao.org; Internet: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/report/653/bt05_01e.pdf
20-22 September, Rome, Italy: FAO/FISHCODE AND WORLDFISH STAKEHOLDERS WORKSHOP ON INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO THE ASSESSMENT OF SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES. This workshop will unite key stakeholders of the FAO, the WorldFish Center, independent researchers and donor organisations and aims to outline activities to be undertaken for the development of interdisciplinary approaches to assess small-scale fisheries. For further information contact Eric Reynolds, tel: (+39 06) 570 56807; Fax: 570 56500; email: eric.reynolds@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org/fi/NEMS/events/detail_event.asp?event_id=31835
23-24 September, Geneva, Switzerland: STUDY SESSION ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. This session, organized by Equitable Economy, will explore how human rights rules and mechanisms can be applied in support of fairer, development-oriented IP regimes. For further information contact Caroline Dommen, tel: (+41 22) 320 21 21; fax:320 69 48; email: info@3dthree.org; Internet: http://www.3dthree.org
24-28 September, Rome, Italy: THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO SUSTAIN AND IMPROVE PLANT PRODUCTION UNDER DROUGHT STRESS (INTERDROUGHT-II). The main mission of this conference, organized with technical contributions from FAO, among others, is to explore the possibilities of science and technology applications to crop improvement and crop management under drought-prone farming by linking progress made at the molecular level to that at the whole plant and crop levels in the field. For further information contact Dr. Abraham Blum, tel: (+39 051) 656431; fax: 6564350; email: congressi@avenuemedia.it; Internet: http://www.plantstress.com/id2/
26-28 September, Jakarta, Indonesia: REGIONAL ARTISANAL FISHERIES CONFERENCE. This event is organised by the SEAFish for Justice Network in collaboration with Oxfam International and will unite artisanal fisherfolk organisations to discuss the characterisation of artisanal fisheries, the possible impacts of the WTO’s non-agricultural market access negotiations on fisheries as well as the scope for special and differential treatment in multilateral trade negotiations. For further information contact Ephraim Patrick T. Batungbacal, tel: (+63-2) 928 82 89; fax: 926 44 15; email: sonny@tambuyog.org; Internet: http://www.tambuyog.org/cgi-bin/news/files/Southeast%20Asian%20Artisanal%20Conference.pdf
26-30 September, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO NEGOTIATING GROUP ON RULES. For further information contact the WTO Information and Media Relations Division, Geneva; tel: (41-22) 739- 5007; fax: (41-22) 739-5458; email: enquiries@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/meets.pdf
26-30 September, Rome, Italy: SECOND CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE ROTTERDAM CONVENTION (PIC COP-2). The conference will discuss the 1988 Convention on Prior Informed Consent which requires exporters trading in a list of hazardous substances to obtain the prior informed consent of importers before proceeding with the trade. For further information contact the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat, tel: (+41-22) 917-8296; fax: 797-3460; e-mail: pic@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.pic.int
28-29 September, Washington DC, US: PRO-POOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. This international dialogue is organization by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in order to investigate the potential synergies of partnerships in development. Partnerships in research and innovation enhance our capacity to solve complex development problems and to provide options to smallholder farmers, food-insecure households, rural women, and other vulnerable groups. For further information contact David J. Spielman, tel: (+1 202) 862-5600; Fax: 467-4439; email: d.spielman@cgiar.org; Internet: http://www.ifpri.org/events/conferences/2005/20050928PPP.htm
29 September, Geneva, Switzerland: FORUM ON FOREST CERTIFICATION - DO GOVERNMENTS HAVE A ROLE? The UN Economic Commission for Europe and FAO will host this policy forum, which will focus on questions of whether governments should use forest certification to promote sustainable forest management and, if so, how and whether forest certification is an obstacle to international trade. For further information contact Cynthia De Castro, tel: (+41 22) 917-3254; fax: 917-0041; e-mail: cynthia.de.castro@unece.org; Internet: http://www.unece.org/trade/timber/docs/tc-sessions/tc-63/english/2005TC_Forum.pdf
Other Upcoming
10-14 October, Lisbon, Portugal: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INTEGRATED OCEAN POLICY. This conference will examine the growing experience around the world with the formulation and implementation of integrated ocean policies at national and regional levels, with the intent of drawing lessons and suggesting emerging best practices. For further information contact Biliana Cicin-Sain, tel: (+1-302) 831-8086; fax: 831-3668; e-mail: bcs@udel.edu; Internet: http://www.globaloceans.org
12-14 October, Montreal, Canada: EXPERTS MEETING ON LIABILITY AND REDRESS UNDER THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. This meeting, organised by the CBD Secretariat, will analyse activities and situations that contribute to damage to biological diversity, including situations of potential concern; look at proposals regarding the possible introduction of elements to address liability and redress for damage to biological diversity into existing liability and redress regimes; and examine the appropriateness of a liability and redress regime under the Convention. For further information contact the CBD Secretariat, tel: (+1 514) 288-2220; fax: 288-6588; email: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=EGLR-01
17-21 October, Alnarp, Sweden: BRIDGING THE GAP - POLICIES AND SCIENCE AS TOOLS IN IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT. The conference is organized by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and aims to bring together policy makers, stakeholders and scientific community to identify and analyse gaps between existing knowledge and policy implementation in the field of sustainable forestry management; review the knowledge base for criteria of sustainability; and identify directions for future relevant research in support of sustainable forest management.. For further information contact Desirée Johansson, tel: (+46 40) 415 183; Fax: 462 325; email: desiree.johansson@ess.slu.se; Internet: http://www2.ess.slu.se/BridgingTheGap/Homepage.htm
28 November - 9 December, Montreal, Canada: FIRST MEETING OF PARTIES TO THE KYOTO PROTOCOL AND ELEVENTH CONFERENCE OF PARTIES TO THE UNFCCC. Canada is hosting the historic first Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP-1), which is taking place in conjunction with the eleventh session of the Conference of Parties (COP-11) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). For further information contact the UNFCCC Secretariat, tel: (+49 228) 815-1000; Fax: 815-1999; email: secretariat@unfccc.int;Internet: http://unfccc.int/meetings/unfccc_calendar/items/2655.php