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
27 June - 2 July, Orlando, Florida, USA: FIRST WORLD CONGRESS OF AGROFORESTRY 2004: WORKING TOGETHER FOR SUSTAINABLE LAND-USE SYSTEMS. Organised by the University of Florida/IFAS, School of Forest Resources and Conservation in collaboration with others. This congress seeks to provide a global forum for agroforestry professionals to share knowledge, experiences, and ideas and to plan future strategies in agroforestry research, education and training, and development. For further information, contact: P. K. Nair, Director, Center for Subtropical Agroforestry; tel: (+1-352) 846-0880; fax: 846-1277; email: pknair@ufl.edu; Internet: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/wca/
27 June - 2 July, Ljublijana, Slovenia: SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MERCURY AS A GLOBAL POLLUTANT. Organised by the Joaef Stefan Institute. For further information, contact Milena Horvat, tel: (+ 386 1) 588 5389; fax: 588 5346; Internet: http://congress.cd-cc.si/icmgp04/?menu_item=welcome&menu_level=2.
28 June to 3 July, Rome, Italy: 27TH SESSION OF THE FAO/WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION. The session is organised by the Codex Alimentarius Secretariat. For further information, contact: the Codex Secretariat, tel: (+39 06) 5705 2287; fax: 5705 3369; email: codex@fao.org; Internet: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/codex/codex27_en.htm
29 June, Geneva, Switzerland: COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE. 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.
29-30 June 2004, Brussels, Belgium: 13TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON EUROPEAN FOOD LAW: THE CHALLENGES AHEAD: FROM OBESITY TO FOOD SAFETY. Organised by Agra. The conference will bring together key representatives from the European Commission, the food industry and national food agencies to debate and analyse the major regulatory issues affecting the industry. For further information, contact: AGRA, tel (+44-1892) 533-813; Fax: 544-895; email: marketing@agra-net.com; Internet: http://www.agra-net.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=agra/showEvent&id=20001018090
30 June, Washington, DC, US: TWO BY TWO…..OR NOT? A LOOK AT TRANSGENIC ANIMALS, ETHICS AND REGULATION. Hosted by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology (PIFB). This policy dialogue will engage leaders on the ethical and regulatory issues raised by the introduction of genetically modified (GM) animals. Particular attention will be paid to the ability of the regulatory system to simultaneously guide producers and advance innovation, while safeguarding the food supply and the environment. For further information, contact: the Pew Initiative, tel: (+1 202) 3479044; email: animaldialogue@pewagbiotech.org; Internet: http://pewagbiotech.org/events/0630/.
Other Forthcoming
1-2 November, Amsterdam, Netherlands: TRADE, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: THE NORTH-SOUTH DIMENSIONS. Organised by CAT & E (Concerted Action on Trade and Environment). This conference seeks to provide a forum for the presentation of recent research on trade and environment, and consideration of its implications for policy. Priority topics for consideration include: social and environmental problems in production, trade and (sustainable) development; systemic issues; regional, national, and local case studies; trade in commodities, including GMOs; and Sustainability Impact Assessment. To submit papers, send abstracts no longer than 300 words to Luke Brander, email: luke.brander@ivm.vu.nl, tel. (+31-20) 4449-555; fax. 4449-553; email: luke.brander@ivm.vu.nl; Internet: http://www.cat-e.org/
21-22 September 2004, London, UK: MEETING: CSR IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY. Organised by Agra. This conference on corporate social responsibility in the Food Industry aims to assist business to identify, understand and manage these and other stakeholder concerns. For further information, contact: AGRA, tel (+44-1892) 533-813; Fax: 544-895; email: marketing@agra-net.com; Internet: http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC14883
10-12 October, Warsaw, Poland: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EVALUATING FORESTRY INCENTIVE AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMES IN EUROPE - CHALLENGES TO IMPROVE POLICY EFFECTIVENESS. Organised by the European Forest Institute (EFI) and The Polish Forest Research Institute (Instytut Badawczy Lesnictwa). The EFFE project addresses effectiveness and economic efficiency of European forestry incentive and assistance programmes. For further information, contact: Brita Pajari, Conference Manager, European Forest institute, email: brita.pajari@efi.fi; Internet: http://www.efi.fi/events/2004/effe_conference/
Training Course
4-15 October, South Africa: BUILDING COMPETENCIES FOR MAINSTREAMING TRADE & DEVELOPMENT WORK. The UK Department for International Development (DFID) in collaboration with the Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa (TRALAC) in South Africa will hold a 2-week intensive training programme on trade and development topics to around 30 trainees drawn from DFID, other donor agencies (e.g. EC, SIDA, CIDA, World Bank) and national government counterparts. For more information, contact Hushe Mzenda, email: h-mzenda@dfid.gov.uk, or Paul Leenane, email: p-leenane@dfid.gov.uk, tel: (+44 20) 7023 0892.