-
US-Peru Trade Deal to Enter Force Despite Labour Objections
George W. Bush, in one of his final official actions as US president, announced on 16 January that a bilateral trade deal with Peru would enter into force at the beginning of next month. The proclamation was made despite recent protests from labour groups and some Democratic members of the US Congress that the Andean…
-
Arab Leaders Pledge Economic Cooperation
Arab leaders have vowed to deepen regional economic ties and band together amid global economic turmoil, officials announced earlier this week after the region’s first high-level economic summit on social and economic development. The meeting, held in Kuwait on 19 and 20 January, brought together 17 Arab heads of state, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. World…
-
2009: The Year Ahead for WIPO
2009 is poised to be an important year for the World Intellectual Property Organisation as the organisation faces many challenges, particularly in terms of balancing the interests of developing and developed countries and addressing pressing public policy concerns such as public health, food security and climate change. In addition, WIPO is likely to witness a…
-
EU, Cameroon Ink Trade Deal as ‘Stepping Stone’ to EPA
The European Union and Cameroon signed an interim bilateral trade agreement last week, which the EU billed as a positive step toward a broader regional deal. The agreement, which was signed on 15 January, will give Cameroonian exports duty-free and quota-free access to the European market. In turn, Cameroon has agreed to lift tariffs on 80…
- In Brief
-
Chinese Minister Tours Africa to Promote Deeper Economic Ties
China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi concluded a multi-stop African tour with a visit to South Africa on Saturday. The Chinese minister also visited Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi – some of China’s largest trading partners in the region – in an effort to solidify and further strengthen Beijing’s economic ties on the continent. For more than a…
- WTO in Brief
-
WTO to Hear Chinese Complaint against US Import Duties
The WTO announced on Tuesday that it will rule on a challenge that Beijing has brought against US tariffs on imports of certain Chinese tyres, steel pipes and woven sacks. This is just the second time that Beijing has filed a case with the WTO’s dispute settlement body and the first time that a panel has…
-
EU, US Beef Dispute Intensifies
Escalating the WTO dispute over the European Union’s ban on hormone-treated beef, Washington announced changes on 15 January to the list of EU food products subject to US$ 116.8 million worth of retaliatory tariffs. Taking effect on 23 March, the changes allow the US to revise the list of sanctioned goods every six months. Originally approved…
-
WTO Announces New Online RTA Database
The WTO launched an RTA database containing notifications, legal provisions, texts and information on WTO assessment last week. Containing nearly 200 Agreements currently in force, the database, which was available to the public as of 14 January, is intended to satisfy the requirements of the General Council’s Transparency Decision on Regional Trade Agreements. The database provides…
- 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 eve…@ictsd.ch. Coming up: 22-28 January 26-27 January, Bonn, Germany. FOUNDING CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (IRENA). A successful preparation…
- Resources
-
Resources
STATE OF THE WORLD 2009: CONFRONTING CLIMATE CHANGE. By Worldwatch Institute, January 2009. One of the most accessible sources of information on the current state of the planet, this text is published annually in 28 languages and relied on by a variety of stakeholders. The 2009 edition focuses on issues related to climate change and…