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EU, Canada Kick off Trade Talks
The EU and Canada have launched negotiations toward a free trade agreement that would cut tariffs, liberalise trade in services, and ease rules on labour mobility. But the negotiators of the deal, which would be the EU’s first with a developed country, will have to navigate an ongoing spat over seal imports that has already…
- Special Section
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NGOs Cry Foul over Rich-Country ‘Land Grab’ in Developing World
A recent jump in rich country land purchases in the developing world has caught the attention of analysts in trade and human rights circles. In many cases, governments and private sector parties to such deals have remained mum on the details of the acquisitions, a fact that has caused some concern among NGOs, who worry…
- In Brief
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Brazil, China Sign Oil Deal, Call for Shift away from US Dollar
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid a visit to his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, this week, with a view to boosting trade between the two emerging economies and promoting what Lula called a “new economic order” that relies less on the US dollar. The Asian giant, ever hungry for raw materials, became Brazil’s largest…
- WTO in Brief
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Canada Promises WTO Suit over EU Seal Ban
The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to ban imports of seal products into the 27-nation bloc, a move that quickly prompted Canada to go forward with a lawsuit against the embargo at the WTO. “We’re moving ahead with an appeal,” Canadian Trade Minister Stockwell Day told Canwest News Service on 5 May. “We’ll go to the…
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Appellate Body Urges US to Comply with ‘Zeroing’ Ruling
The WTO’s Appellate Body, the organisation’s highest court, has called on the US to comply with an earlier ruling that found that the Washington violates world trade rules in its treatment of unfairly priced imports. The complaint, which was brought by the EU, centres on Washington’s use of ‘zeroing’, a controversial method of determining whether and…
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Rules Group ‘Builds Momentum’ while Avoiding Controversial Topics
An informal meeting of the Negotiating Group on Rules made slow progress but largely avoided controversial issues at its meeting last week. The group’s talks - which cover anti-dumping and horizontal subsidies disciplines, as well as subsidies in the fisheries sector - have been marked by long-standing disagreement over a few issues. But the chair…
- Events
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Events
24-29 May, Copenhagen, Denmark. WORLD BUSINESS SUMMIT ON CLIMATE CHANGE. At this event, CEOs will discuss how their firms can help solve the climate crisis through innovative business models, new partnerships, and the development of low-carbon technologies. They will send a strong message to the negotiating governments on how to remove barriers and create incentives…
- Resources
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Resources
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: EFFECTS OF INFRASTRUCTURE CONDITIONS ON EXPORT COMPETITIVENESS, THIRD ANNUAL REPORT. By the United States International Trade Commission, April 2009. This report describes conditions in the land transport, maritime transport, and electricity infrastructure sectors, and examines their effects on export competitiveness in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Infrastructure conditions in SSA…