EVENTS
For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar at: http://www.ictsd.org/cal/index.htm. If you would like to submit an event, please email events@ictsd.ch.
Upcoming : 16-22 November
16 November, Washington, DC: WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT — AN UPDATE BY THE WTO’S LEGAL ADVISOR. Organised by the Washington International Trade Association. The WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) provides a structured, treaty-based process for the timely settlement of trade disputes arising among the WTO’s 149 Members. Since the WTO’s inception in 1995, 350 cases have been initiated under WTO dispute settlement procedures and 120 panels have been composed to adjudicate cases not otherwise resolved prior to the initiation of litigation proceedings. In the past several years, however, fewer cases have been brought to the WTO. Is this a long-term trend or just a short-term phenomenon? Bruce Wilson, Director, WTO Legal Affairs Division, will offer an updated look at the Dispute Settlement Understanding and a discussion of pending DSU reform proposals. For more information, e-mail: events@wita.org; internet: http://www.wita.org/index.php?tg=addon/4/form&idx=2&id_app=25&id_step=79&id_form=62&form_row=481&popup=0&parent_id_form=40&parent_id_step=78&form_menu=&trt_step=1&form_value=WTO%2BDispute%2BSettlement%2B-%2BAn%2BUpdate%2Bby%2Bthe%2BWTO%2527s%2BLegal%2BAdvisor.
16-17 November, Terrassa, Spain: FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABILITY MEASUREMENT AND MODELING. The conference, hosted by the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Chair in Sustainability, will launch a forum for organisations, institutions, and experts to further integrate their knowledge and ideas related to sustainability measurement and modeling. Dialogue will focus on the creation of measurements, models and evaluations for sustainable development. For more information, phone: +34 934 017 441; e-mail: icsmm@cimne.upc.edu; internet: http://congress.cimne.upc.es/icsmm06/frontal/default.asp.
18-19 November, Melbourne, Australia: MEETING OF G-20 FINANCE MINISTERS AND CENTRAL BANK GOVERNORS. The G-20 is an informal forum that promotes open and constructive discussion between industrial and emerging-market countries on key issues related to global economic stability. By contributing to the strengthening of the international financial architecture and providing opportunities for dialogue on national policies, international co-operation, and international economic and financial institutions, the G-20 helps to support growth and development across the globe. For more information see internet: http://www.g20.org/Public/Melb2006/index.jsp.
20-21 November, Paris, France: OECD GLOBAL FORUM ON AGRICULTURE: POLICY DEVELOPMENTS IN NON-MEMBER ECONOMIES. Organised by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This forum will discuss agricultural policy developments in Brazil, China, South Africa, India, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania. Country reports including updated estimates of agricultural support will be presented by the Secretariat and discussed with country experts and government officials. Country representatives will comment on expected future directions of agricultural policy reform. The Forum will also discuss the lessons learned from past reforms in developing and OECD countries, as well as current market prospects and trade issues. A special session will focus on the latest developments and new activities by the OECD, the World Bank and the FAO in the measurement and interpretation of agricultural support. For more information see internet: http://www.oecd.org/agr/meet/apnme (login: meetings, password: apnme) or e-mail: wayne.jones@oecd.org.
WTO
An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/events_e/events_e.htm. 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. Unless otherwise indicated, all WTO meetings are held at the WTO, Centre William Rappard, rue de Lausanne 154, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, and are open to WTO Members and accredited observers only.
16 November: INFORMAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE (HEADS OF DELEGATION LEVEL)
20-24 November: GENEVA WEEK (NON-RESIDENT MEMBERS AND OBSERVERS)
20 November: COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS
21 November: DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY
22-24 November: TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY - COLOMBIA
Other Upcoming
29 November-1 December, Geneva, Switzerland. UNCTAD INTERGOVERNMENTAL EXPERT MEETING ON THE PARTICIPATION OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN NEW DYNAMIC SECTORS OF WORLD TRADE: REVIEW OF THE ENERGY SECTOR. This meeting, organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), aims to promote participation of developing countries in dynamic and new sectors of world trade. It will focus on the challenges posed to developing countries by a changing international energy economy. Issues of particular consideration will be the need to diversify energy sources, and the need to secure access to reliable and reasonably-priced energy in order to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development. For more information see http://www.unctad.org/Templates/meeting.asp?intItemID=2068&lang=1&m=11907&info=not. tel: +41 (0)22 917 56 42 or +41 (0)22 917 58 65; fax.: +41 (0)22 917 00 44, e-mail: khalil.rahman@unctad.org or victor.ognivtsev@unctad.org.
7-8 December, Amsterdam: FIRST ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) FORUM ON AFRICAN DEBT MANAGEMENT AND BOND MARKETS. Organized under the aegis of the OECD Working Party on Debt Management (WPDM) and sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the forum will focus on specific local African problems, challenges, and debt management issues. It also aims to acquaint African Debt Managers with OECD best practices in public debt management and government securities, as well as to include them in the OECD WPDM-led global network of debt managers. The Africa Forum initiative will enhance collaboration and address critical issues about ensuring sustainable debt management. Participation is by invitation only. For more information see internet http://www.oecd.org/document/44/0,2340,en_2649_27994977_37361964_1_1_1_1,00.html or e-mail hans.blommenstein@oecd.org or jocelene.fouassier@oecd.org.