Bridges Trade BioRes

Volume 4 • Number 6 2nd April 2004

  • WIPO COMMITTEE RESUMES WORK ON GENETIC RESOURCES AND TK
    WIPO COMMITTEE RESUMES WORK ON GENETIC RESOURCES AND TK On 15-19 March, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) convened for its first meeting since its mandate was extended for another two years at the WIPO Assemblies in October last year (see BRIDGES…
  • WTO COTTON WORKSHOP DISCUSSES DEVELOPMENT, LEAVES TRADE ASIDE
    WTO COTTON WORKSHOP DISCUSSES DEVELOPMENT, LEAVES TRADE ASIDE From 23-24 March an African Regional Workshop — organised by the WTO — was held in Cotonou, Benin. Representatives from 30 African cotton-producing countries and from various international organisations attended the meeting, which formed part of the WTO’s technical assistance programme. The workshop focused primarily…
  • CITES RULES ON IVORY AND CAVIAR TRADE
    CITES RULES ON IVORY AND CAVIAR TRADE The 50th Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) concluded a week-long session in Geneva on 19 March. Particular attention was paid to ivory and caviar trade, leading to mixed feelings from environmental groups. The Standing Committee announced…
  • In Brief
  • International Seed Treaty to Enter Into Force
    The International Treaty (IT) on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) will enter into force on 29 June after twelve European countries and the European Community ratified the agreement, thus bringing the number of ratifications to 48 (40 required). “The Treaty provides an international legal framework that will be a key element in…
  • Sense of Movement in Agriculture Negotiations
    WTO delegates that participated in agriculture negotiations from 22-26 March (see BRIDGES Weekly, 24 March 2004) reported a change of tone in the concluding plenary of the WTO Committee on Agriculture (CoA) special session. Reportedly, the week’s intensive consultations led to a more positive negotiating climate as Members finally started listening to each other, following…
  • Angola Bans GM Cereal Imports, Mauritius Moves on Legislation
    Angola became the latest African country to ban the import of genetically modified (GM) seeds and grain, including in GM food aid, unless they are milled prior to arrival. The country thereby joined Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Lesotho, which had set the same conditions for imports in 2002 (see BRIDGES Trade BioRes, 27 June 2002).…
  • UNEP Environment Forum Highlights Threats to Ecosystem
    The eighth Special Session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GCSS-8/GMEF) was held from 29-31 March in Jeju, Republic of Korea. Delegations including Environment Ministers came from 158 nations to discuss “Water and Sanitation”. South Korea’s Environment Minister Gwak Gyul-ho noted that the meeting was aimed at identifying “[a] specific framework…
  • Montreal Protocol: Exemptions Granted for Methyl Bromide
    The US, several EU member states and other developed country Parties were granted exemptions for the use of methyl bromide — an ozone damaging substance — at the Extraordinary Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, held from 24-26 March in Montreal, Canada. Under the Protocol more…
  • APEC Concerned of EU Chemicals Legislation
    In a letter dated 11 March, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat expressed its concerns over the new EU legislation for the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH), which was adopted by the EU in October 2003 (see BRIDGES Trade BioRes, 3 October 2003). In its letter, the Secretariat states that the implementation of…
  • 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 1-2 April,…
  • 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. POSTPONED PLACING ON THE MARKET - A REPORT ON THE SECOND AND THIRD GENERATION OF TRANSGENIC PLANTS. By Benno Vogel and Christof Potthof, published…