Discuss this articleShare your views with other visitors, and read what they have to say
Pork Exporters Condemn ‘Swine Flu’ Import Bans
Several exporting countries chastised fellow WTO Members in June for imposing ‘unjustified’ import bans on live pigs and pork products in response to the recent outbreak of the H1N1 ‘swine flu’ virus. The complaints were one of several grievances aired at a June meeting of the WTO’s Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, which deals with trade-related aspects of food safety and animal and plant health.
Countries ranging from China to Ecuador implemented a string of pork import bans shortly after the virus, which is thought to have originated in pigs, first made international headlines in April. Pork prices tumbled with the fall in demand for exports, and producers in many countries were affected.
Australia, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Japan, and the US were among those leading the charge against the imposed embargoes at the meeting. The US delegate argued that not a single case of H1N1 flu had been linked to the consumption of pork or the handling of pigs. A joint statement issued by the WTO, the World Health Organization, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE), in May found “no justification” for bans on pigs or pork products. Exporters argued that several of the import prohibitions had not been notified to the WTO - an oversight that amounts to a violation of the WTO’s Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement).
But the countries that have imposed the pork bans countered that the temporary measures had been taken to protect public health, and might be removed after scientific evidence has been examined.
WTO, UNEP Issue Joint Report on Trade and Climate Change
The WTO and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have jointly published a report describing the links between trade and climate change.
The analytical review acknowledges that reducing trade barriers could lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions as a result of increased economic activity, which could cause greater energy use. But it stresses that the relationship is not as straightforward as it may seem: trade opening could push economic activity to less polluting sectors, lower tariffs on climate-friendly technology could reduce the cost of fighting climate change, and climate change itself could affect trade patterns.
Notable as much for its content as for the unprecedented cooperation it represented between the global trade body and the UN’s environment office, the report includes a survey of current scientific knowledge about climate change, outlining different projections for atmospheric greenhouse gas levels and estimates for how various parts of the world would be affected in terms of food security, water resources, coastal infrastructure, health, and biodiversity. It looks at options to reduce the rate and magnitude of climate change, as well as actions to soften the effects of climate change.
Aid for Trade Review Urges Trade Opening to Combat Global Recession, Draws Donor Support
Developing countries should open their borders to trade in order to stimulate economic growth, according to participants at the Second Global Review of Aid for Trade, which was held at WTO headquarters in Geneva. The July meeting, which brought together the heads of regional and global financial institutions, international development agencies, as well as the Membership of the WTO, considered strategies for improving trade capacities for developing countries amid the ongoing global economic slowdown.
The meeting drew substantial pledges from several donors. Japan pledged US$ 12 billion for 2009-2011 to support Aid for Trade, the United Kingdom promised US$1.6 billion per year, France committed to giving nearly US$1.2 per year, and the Netherlands promised to contribute US$764 million per year. In addition, the Global Trade Liquidity Programme (GTLP) pledged to raise US$50 billion to finance trade. Funds from the GTLP will ultimately be disbursed through a network of more than 500 banks in over 70 developing countries around the world.
The Aid for Trade initiative was launched four years ago to help developing countries integrate into the global economy and take advantage of export markets. The review considered four objectives: moving from commitment to implementation; integrating trade in national and regional development strategies; sustaining aid flows during the global economic downturn; and assessing the effectiveness of Aid for Trade.
World Bank President Robert Zoellick urged countries to avoid protectionism in order to benefit from Aid for Trade, and advocated for the conclusion of the WTO’s Doha round of trade negotiations as an avenue for opening markets worldwide. Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda pushed for regional approaches that support national development strategies to multiply the benefits of Aid for Trade. Kuroda also highlighted the importance of strong partnerships between governments, the private sector, and the donor community to ensure that the benefits of Aid for Trade are sustainable.
In assessing the affects of the global economic recession on aid flows, participants discussed the role of South-South assistance in facilitating Aid for Trade. Speakers addressed the need for recipient countries to advocate their priorities and donor countries to respond to those needs. Panellists also discussed triangular aid strategies, in which industrialised and emerging economies pair up as donors.
This information has been summarised from ICTSD’s Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest.
Add a comment
Enter your details and a comment below, then click Submit Comment. We’ll review and publish the best comments.