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G20 Confronts Global Financial Crisis
As leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies prepare to meet in London on Thursday, divisions are emerging over how the world should respond to the global economic crisis. But tentative consensus appears to be emerging around calls to secure funding for trade finance, and to both prop up and reform international financial institutions. British Prime…
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WTO Warns of ‘Significant Slippage’ toward Protectionism
Global commerce is in danger of “an incremental build-up of restrictions that could slowly strangle international trade” and undermine worldwide attempts to boost demand and restore growth, the WTO director-general warned last week. There has been “significant slippage” in WTO Members’ success at resisting protectionist pressures since the start of this year, according to a 26…
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OECD: ‘International Trade in Freefall’
World trade is in free fall and is likely to drop by 13.2 percent in 2009, according to an interim report released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development on Tuesday just two days before a summit of leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies. “The world economy is in the midst of its deepest…
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Public Policy Considerations Prominent in WIPO Patent Discussions
After a week of intense deliberations, the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) at the World Intellectual Property Organization decided to pursue further work on four critical issues. The delegates, who met at WIPO headquarters in Geneva from 23 to 27 March, also reviewed preparations for the July 2009 WIPO Conference on global…
- In Brief
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USTR Promises Action to Open Markets to US Exports
The administration of US President Barack Obama pledged Tuesday to identify and take action against the most significant trade barriers to US exports, either at the WTO or in bilateral or regional forums. “We must work to open new markets around the world for American farmers, manufacturers, ranchers and service providers, and at the same time…
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New Infrastructure Initiative Launched as African Trade Plummets
Three African economic communities announced plans last week for a major new infrastructure initiative meant to boost trade flows on the continent. With support from foreign donor governments, the groups aim to create a reliable and efficient transport network across eight African countries, from South Africa to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The project,…
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ASEAN to Tackle China Investment Pact, Economic Crisis at April Summit
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations may soon finalise an investment deal with China, and is working on a similar agreement with South Korea. The investment agreement with China could be signed at the bloc’s upcoming meeting with the leaders of China, South Korea and Japan, to be held in Thailand from 10-12 April, Lim Chze…
- WTO in Brief
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EU Claims US Gambling Laws are Illegal
US rules on internet gambling violate world trade law and have resulted in “serious adverse effects” for European firms, an EU report found last week. “The report concludes that WTO action would be justified,” a statement from the EU Trade Commission said. But Brussels indicated that it would not rush to bring a WTO challenge on…
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US Not Prepared for High-Level Doha Engagement before Fall: US Official
The United States will not be ready to engage in a high-level meeting on the Doha Round of trade talks at the WTO until this fall at the earliest, a Geneva-based US trade official told Bridges this week. “We’re still going through the review process,” the official said. “I don’t think many people think it makes…
- Events
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Events
2 April 2009, London, United Kingdom. G20 SUMMIT. World leaders from the Group of 20 nations will meet to enhance global coordination in order to help restore global economic growth amidst the current financial crisis. Summit goals include initiating action to stabilise financial markets and enable families and businesses to get through the recession, to…
- Resources
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Resources
REBUILDING GLOBAL TRADE: PROOSPALS FOR A FAIRER, MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE SHORT ESSAYS ON TRADE AND GLOBAL ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE. By International Centre for Trade Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Global Economic Governance Programme (GEG), and Oxford, 2009 March. This e-book gathers short essays from a broad range of scholars and experts around the world to provide proposals on…