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NAMA Talks Budge Slightly, As WTO Members Look Forward
After months of near-complete deadlock, some hints of flexibility have emerged in the Doha round talks on trade in industrial goods, officials say.Although it remains unclear whether governments will be able to bridge their differences, many countries have reportedly demonstrated willingness to consider some potential ideas circulated by the chair of the WTO negotiating committee…
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New AG Draft Text Delayed By Differences On Sensitive Products Data
Progress in the Doha Round agriculture talks is unlikely unless a handful of competitive farm exporters and major import markets manage to resolve some technical issues affecting future market-opening for the ’sensitive’ agricultural products eligible for gentler tariff cuts, the chair of the WTO negotiating committee suggested last week. Agreement among the five exporters and…
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Call for Work on Exceptions and Limitations in WIPO Coyright Committee
Exceptions and limitations to copyright protection dominated discussions in a key World Intellectual Property Organization committee last week. Chile, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Uruguay put forward a work plan calling for global norms establishing a “minimum mandatory [level of] exceptions and limitations particularly with regard to educational activities, people with disabilities, libraries and…
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TRIPS Council Once Again Marked by Divisions Over Disclosure Amendment
Longstanding differences on whether WTO rules should be altered to require patent applicants to disclose the use of any biological resources or associated traditional knowledge - on pain of patent revocation - featured prominently at a 13 March meeting of the WTO Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Brazil, India, Cuba, Peru, Ecuador,…
- In Brief
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US To Resume Trade Talks With Thailand, Malaysia
The US has resumed stagnant free trade agreement negotiations with Malaysia and is looking to do the same with Thailand, according to reports from the US trade representative’s office this week. Talks with Bangkok were put on hold in 2006, after a military coup in the Southeast Asian country. Negotiations with Malaysia have started to…
- Events
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Events
Coming up: 20 - 26 March 23-24 March, Beijing, China. CHINA TOWARDS 2020: DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND POLICY OPTIONS. The 9th annual China Development Forum will meet to discuss the future of development in China, with the participation of the OECD Secretary-General. For more information, please refer to http://www.oecd.org/documentprint/0,3455,es_2649_201185_32618737_1_1_1_1,00.html.25 March 2008, Tokyo…