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Doha Round Negotiations 'Fully' Resume; Lamy Sees Favourable Conditions For Deal
Six months after the Doha Round talks broke down in acrimony, trade diplomats have restarted negotiations in another push for a deal. "I am pleased to be able to report some positive news," WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy told Member delegations on 7 February. "We have resumed our negotiations fully across the board." "Political conditions are now…
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Bush Administration Tables Farm Bill Proposals; Trading Partners Dissatisfied
Several of the US’ top trading partners have expressed dissatisfaction with the Bush administration’s proposed reforms for future agricultural subsidy spending, unveiled on 31 January. They had hoped for a clearer signal from Washington that it wanted to move towards reducing trade-distorting farm subsidies, a key issue in the Doha Round trade talks. Although the…
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Amidst Increased Focus, Services Talks To Intensify
A two week-long ‘informal’ cluster of services meetings concluded on 2 February, with an informal session convened by negotiations Chair Ambassador Fernando de Mateo of Mexico (see BRIDGES Weekly, 24 January 2007). The discussions came at a time of increased focus on the services negotiations. In remarks to an informal heads-of-delegation meeting on 31 January, WTO…
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US Files WTO Case Against Chinese Industrial Subsidies
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab announced on 2 February that Washington has initiated WTO dispute settlement proceedings against China, alleging that a range of subsidy programmes illegally support the export of manufactured goods as well as discriminate against imports. The US requested formal WTO consultations with China after bilateral talks on the issue failed. Beijing has…
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Landmark Climate Report Issues Strong Warning On Global Warming
A group of the world’s top climate scientists has issued its strongest ever warning that human activity is to blame for climate change, and that global temperatures and extreme weather phenomena will increase unless greenhouse gas emissions are substantially reduced. In a report issued on 2 February, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - the…
- In Brief
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In Brief
FAO CALLS FOR MAJOR CHANGES TO FOOD AID SYSTEM Major changes in the way international food aid is managed and delivered are necessary, said the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in its latest annual report. "The State of Food and Agriculture 2006," released on 24 January 2007, focused on food aid effectiveness because 39 countries…
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In Brief
FAO CALLS FOR MAJOR CHANGES TO FOOD AID SYSTEM Major changes in the way international food aid is managed and delivered are necessary, said the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in its latest annual report. "The State of Food and Agriculture 2006," released on 24 January 2007, focused on food aid effectiveness because 39 countries…
- WTO in Brief
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US Concedes Defeat In Shrimp Anti-Dumping Dispute With Ecuador
INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS ON TRADE FACILITATION PICKING UP MOMENTUM The WTO Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation met on 31 January for informal consultations on all elements of the mandate to cut red tape and other obstacles to the flow of goods, including, special and differential treatment, technical assistance and capacity building and customs cooperation. Trade delegates report that…
- Events
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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 : 8-14 February 9-10 February, Essen, Germany. G-7 FINANCE MINISTERS MEETING. In addition to central fiscal policy issues, the first meeting in 2007 of finance…
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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 : 8-14 February 9-10 February, Essen, Germany. G-7 FINANCE MINISTERS MEETING. In addition to central fiscal policy issues, the first meeting in 2007 of finance…
- Resources
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RESOURCES
NEW TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLICY. By John Barton. International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, February 2007. One in a series of publications aimed at promoting a better understanding of the proper role of intellectual property in a knowledge-based economy, the objective of this study is to explore how…