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US Farm Subsidy Hint Not Enough To Jolt Sluggish Doha Negotiations
A breakthrough in the Doha Round negotiations does not yet appear within reach, despite modest (though rare) progress in the agriculture talks over the past three weeks. Hopes for an accord received a boost last week when US agriculture negotiator Joe Glauber suggested that Washington could accept capping its trade-distorting farm payments at between $13 and…
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Canada Issues Compulsory Licence For Hiv/Aids Drug Export To Rwanda, In First Test Of WTO Procedure
Rwanda last week came one step closer to becoming the first nation to use a WTO procedure designed to allow developing countries to import cut-price copies of patented medicines, when Canadian patent authorities issued a compulsory licence authorising the generic production of a patented HIV/AIDS drug for export to the central African country. "This is big…
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WTO Aid-For-Trade Initiative Gets A Boost From Reviews In Lima, Manila
The WTO-led ‘aid-for-trade’ initiative is supposed to help give developing countries the financial and technical assistance they need to boost their capacity to take part in international trade. However, since the initiative was launched nearly two years ago, few concrete signs have emerged on how this goal would be accomplished, apart from a high-level task force…
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VACANCY
A diplomatic mission in Geneva seeks an Assistant to work on international trade matters as part of its delegation to the WTO. Successful candidates would have a good knowledge of the WTO, its mission, and functions; a degree in international law, international relations, or a related field; excellent command of English with knowledge of French…
- In Brief
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WIPO General Assembly Takes Off Amidst Controversy Over Idris' Age
As the World Intellectual Property Organization’s annual General Assembly kicked off on 24 September, member delegations were preoccupied by an issue that had nothing to do with intellectual property, development, or innovation: the age of WIPO Director-General Kamil Idris. WIPO’s highest decision-making body will meet through 3 October, and is set to consider the future of…
- WTO in Brief
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WTO In Brief
PANEL ESTABLISHED TO EXAMINE US CLAIMS OF CHINESE IP VIOLATIONS The WTO on 25 September established a formal panel to investigate US allegations that Beijing is tolerating intellectual property rights violations and maintaining trade barriers against books, music, and other copyrighted goods. Washington (WT/DS362/7) claims that China is doing too little to enforce copyright and trademark protection…
- Events
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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. Coming Up: 27 September - 3 October 1-2 October, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. MOBILIZING AID FOR TRADE: FOCUS AFRICA. The purpose of this meeting is to…
- Resources
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Resources
BIOFUELS AT WHAT COST? GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL IN SWITZERLAND. By Ronald Steenblik and Juan Simón. Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI)/International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), June 2007. This report is the most comprehensive account to date of the Swiss government’s government support for biofuels. It is part of a multi-country effort by the…