• WTO Members Welcome AG Chair's Paper, But Criticise 'Balance'
    WTO Members have welcomed a recent paper seeking to challenge them to work harder to find common ground beyond their entrenched positions in the deadlocked Doha Round agriculture talks. During a six-hour informal meeting on 7 May, Members from a cross-section of interest groups expressed their appreciation of the ‘challenges’ paper prepared by the chair of…
  • Environment: Members Progress On Information Exchange, Still Stuck On EGS
    Members recently discussed all aspects of the Doha negotiating mandate on environment. According to sources, participants at the 2-3 May meeting of the special (negotiating) session of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) mainly made progress on ways to facilitate information exchange between multilateral environmental organisations and relevant WTO bodies (Para 31 (ii)…
  • Rules Negotiations: Members Discuss Details Of Us Proposal On Fisheries Subsidies
    The US has called for sweeping eliminations on fisheries subsidies under the Doha Round talks. At a meeting of the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules on 1 May, Members discussed the US proposal — initially submitted in March 2007 — which represents a far-reaching effort to modify international trade rules to prohibit most government subsidies to…
  • Brazil Issues Compulsory Licence For Aids Drug
    Brazil issued a compulsory licence for the patented AIDS drug efavirenz, in a move that has drawn reactions among public health and industry representatives. The compulsory licence will allow Brazil to import and eventually manufacture generic versions of the drug more cheaply. The 4 May move by Brazil follows Thailand’s compulsory licensing of efavirenz and two…
  • CLIMATE CHANGE: SCIENTISTS SAY CARBON EMISSIONS CAN BE REDUCED AT REASONABLE COST
    According to a new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — the scientific body examining global climate research — measures to mitigate global warming can be undertaken at reasonable cost. The report was released on 4 May in Bangkok following international consultations. Addressing the short, medium (until 2030) and long term (after…
  • In Brief
  • In Brief
    EU LAUNCHES FREE TRADE TALKS WITH GROUP OF TEN SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS The EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have launched talks aiming at a free trade agreement (FTA), kicking off one of the largest regional trade negotiations in the world. The ten-member ASEAN group, which includes countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia,…
  • WTO in Brief
  • China IP Case: Additional Countries Join US Challenge
    US SNUBS WTO RULING ON INTERNET GAMBLING On 4 May, Washington announced that it was modifying its commitments related to "recreational services" and would not comply with a 2005 WTO ruling obligating the US to open its borders for gambling and betting from foreign operators. The recent move is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between…
  • Events
  • Events
    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 : 10-16 May 12 May, International. WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY. Fair trade and the campaign for justice in trade will be celebrated internationally today through…
  • Resources
  • Resources
    EXTENDING PROTECTION AT THE WTO TO PRODUCTS OTHER THAN WINES AND SPIRITS: WHO WILL BENEFIT? By Michel Vincent. The Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, 2007. Extending geographic indicator protection to commodities other than wines and spirits has been a dividing issue in the WTO between demandeurs and opponent Member countries. This…