Bridges Trade BioRes

Volume 3 • Number 21 28th November 2003

  • European Effort to Ban Asbestos Fails
    European Effort to Ban Asbestos Fails At the tenth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-10) for an International Legally Binding Instrument for the Application of the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC) for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (Rotterdam Convention) — held from 17-21 November in Geneva — Canada and Russia blocked the…
  • Uneventful TRIPs Council Revisits Biodiversity Issues
    Uneventful TRIPs Council Revisits Biodiversity Issues Little new emerged from discussions on biodiversity at the 17-18 November meeting of the WTO Council for Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), with countries largely reiterating previous proposals. One trade source noted a general lack of enthusiasm in the Council’s discussions compared to the excitement of last year’s…
  • The Americas: “Lite” on Sustainable Development?
    The Americas: “Lite” on Sustainable Development? The eighth meeting of American Trade Ministers to continue negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) in Miami (17-18 November) ended one-day early when Ministers agreed on the final ministerial declaration after just a few hours of negotiation. Environment hardly features in the Declaration despite concerns raised,…
  • In Brief
  • Red List of Endangered Species Tops 12,000
    The World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) annual Red List of the world’s endangered species has topped 12,000, with the addition of another 2,000 species. The conservation organisation underscored the threat of alien invasive species on native islands plants and animals in places such as the Seychelles, Galapagos Islands and Hawaii. IUCN’s Director General Achim Steiner commented,…
  • Report: World Bank Should Abandon Oil and Coal Financing
    The Extractive Industry Review, released on 25 November 2003, has advised the World Bank Group (WBG) to phase out investments in oil production by 2008, and to continue its current practice of not investing in coal mining developments. Instead, the WBG should concentrate its lending on promoting sustainable energy policies, energy efficiency, recycling and cleaner…
  • EC Adopts Communication on Post-Cancun Strategy
    The European Commission adopted a strategy paper on the post-Cancun process on 26 November. According to EC Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, the EC will now re-engage at the WTO and work to get the current round of trade talks back on track. The strategy paper is being circulated among EU member states and the European…
  • UK Commission Divided over GMO Coexistence and Liability
    The UK’s Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC) in its report “GM Crops? Coexistence and Liability” released on 25 November called for the establishment of legally binding rules. These rules could help managing coexistence of genetically modified (GM) and other corps, which should aim to facilitate consumer choice “while allowing UK farmers to respond to…
  • Cap Reform, Step-by-Step
    On 18 November, the European Commission adopted the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform proposals for the tobacco, olive oil, cotton and hops sectors, a follow-up to the discussions on 29 September by the EU’s Council of Ministers (see BRIDGES Trade BioRes, 16 October 2003). The tobacco sector will undergo the most rigorous reform. The transition to…
  • Australia, France Prepare to Combat Illegal Fishing
    On 24 November, Australia and France signed a maritime cooperation agreement that establishes a framework for cooperation in surveillance and research against the illegal fishing of mainly Toothfish in the Southern Ocean. The two countries have agreed to exchange information on licensing, location and movements of fishing vessels because they “share a common desire to…
  • In Brief
    In Brief RED LIST OF ENDANGERED SPECIES TOPS 12,000 The World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) annual Red List of the world’s endangered species has toped 12,000, with the addition of another 2,000 species. The conservation organisation underscored the threat of alien invasive species on native islands plants and animals in places such as the Seychelles, Galapagos Islands…
  • Events
  • Events
    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 1 December,…
  • Resources
  • Resources
    If you have a relevant resource (books, papers, bulletins, etc.) you would like to see announced in this section, please forward a copy or review by the BRIDGES staff to Marianne Jacobsen. THE STATE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN THE WORLD 2003. By the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The new report shows that hunger is on…