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Lamy Leaning Towards Calling Mid-December Mini-Ministerial
Just under five months ago, a high-profile push for a WTO accord broke down when the US, India, and China proved unable to resolve differences on farm trade. Although ministers came closer in July to striking framework deals on agriculture and manufacturing trade than many thought possible before the summit, the failure prompted several observers to…
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Ag Negotiators Face Time Pressure in Search for Doha Deal
Time will be a major constraint if WTO Members are to try to strike framework accords on farm and manufacturing trade by the end of the year, according to Geneva-based agriculture negotiators. In preparation for a potential meeting of trade ministers at WTO headquarters from 13-15 December, updated draft agreement texts are expected from the chairs…
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Amidst Low Expectations, UN Climate Talks Underway in Poznan
The latest session of United Nations climate change negotiations got underway on 1 December in the Western Polish city of Poznan. But even before the meeting began, many delegates were already looking ahead towards late 2009, when governments are scheduled to meet in Copenhagen to try to hammer out a successor agreement to the Kyoto…
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Bush Suspends Preferential Treatment To Bolivia, Citing Insufficient Action Against Drugs
US President George W. Bush last week moved to suspend preferential trade access for Bolivian exports, a step the Latin American country has decried as “political vengeance.” According to the White House announcement on 26 November, Bolivia’s benefits under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) and the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) will…
- In Brief
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US Govt Mistakenly Giving Millions in Farm Subsidies To Millionaires, GAO Finds
The US government gave over US$ 49 million in subsidies from 2003 to 2006 to farmers whose incomes exceeded US$ 2.5 million in contravention of US farm spending law, a non-partisan government watchdog has found. In a report released on 24 November, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, found that the US…
- WTO in Brief
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WTO Rules Against EU Banana Import Rules, Again; Ecuador Threatens Doha Veto If Issue Unresolved
The WTO’s highest dispute court on November 26 upheld a ruling against the EU in its extended battle over banana trade with Latin American countries and the US. The Appellate Body backed a WTO compliance panel’s determination that the way the EU’s import regime for bananas discriminates against Latin American exporters, and that Brussels has failed…
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Canada Contests US Labelling Laws at WTO
Canada has taken the first step in WTO dispute proceedings against US country-of-origin labelling measures for livestock and meat exports. “While Canada is firmly committed to a cooperative trading relationship, we believe that the country-of-origin legislation is creating undue trade restrictions to the detriment of Canadian exporters,” said Stockwell Day, Canada’s trade minister,…
- Events
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Events
Coming up: 4-10 December 4 December, London, UK. BUILDING A LOW CARBON INDIAN ECONOMY. Hosted by Chatham House, the speakers will discuss the possibility of a low carbon economy in India and the opportunities this will bring to India’s economic growth and development. For further information, please refer to http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/events/view/-/id/1007/. 4-7 December, Ankara, Turkey.…
- Resources
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Resources
BORDER CARBON ADJUSTMENT. Aaron Cosbey, August 2008. In June 2008, the International Institute for Sustainable Development collaborated with the Government of Denmark, the German Marshall Fund and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development to convene a major seminar on trade and climate change in Copenhagen. Border Carbon Adjustment is one of the event’s…
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Printer-Friendly Version of Bridges Weekly, Vol. 12 No. 41
Table of Contents I. LEAD STORIES - Lamy Leaning Towards Calling Mid-December Mini-Ministerial - Ag Negotiators Face Time Pressure in Search for Doha Deal - Amidst Low Expectations, UN Climate Talks Underway in Poznan - Bush Suspends Preferential Treatment To Bolivia, Citing Insufficient Action Against Drugs II. IN BRIEF - US Govt Mistakenly Giving Millions in Farm Subsidies To Millionaires,…