-
WTO Delegates Decry ‘Gap’ between Talk and Action on Eve of Summer Break
WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy set out an ambitious autumn schedule for technical work in the Doha Round trade talks in two addresses to delegates just before the organisation breaks for its annual August holiday. But many officials were quick to point out the ‘mismatch’ between strong ambitions for the talks at the political level and…
-
ECOSOC Meeting in Geneva Tackles Global Public Health
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the principal organs of the United Nations, recently held its Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) from 6-9 July. The gathering focused on meeting global public health objectives, with the ultimate aim of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). During its General Segment, which runs from 23…
- In Brief
-
EU Foreign Ministers Approve Ban of Seal Products
EU foreign ministers agreed to ban the import of seal products at a meeting on Monday, amid pressure from domestic constituents. The ban is a victory for animal rights groups but has drawn strong criticism from Canada, which believes the embargo on seal imports violates international trade rules. Canada’s annual seal hunt is the largest…
-
US, France Face Criticism on Border Tariff Proposals
The US and Europe are struggling to flesh out their respective climate change strategies ahead of an international climate summit in Copenhagen at the end of the year. Carbon tariffs - duties that countries would place on imports from nations that do not sign on to a global climate deal - have emerged as a…
-
Mercosur Leaders Urge Shift away from US Dollar, Call for Patent-Free Flu Drugs
Presidents representing the member countries of Mercosur, the South American trade bloc, gathered for a summit last week in Asunción, Paraguay to discuss trade, regional integration and public health. The meeting’s agenda included various proposals to further the trading bloc’s goals of free trade and economic integration within the Mercosur bloc, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay…
-
WIPO High-level Forum Highlights Opportunities and Challenges for LDCs
A high-level forum on intellectual property for least developed countries (LDCs) was held at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on 23 and 24 July. During the two-day meeting, ministers and senior officials exchanged views on obstacles and possible solutions facing the greater use of IP for wealth creation and development in LDCs. In this context,…
- WTO in Brief
-
Brazil to Sue UK over Waste Shipment
Brasilia has threatened to launch a formal WTO complaint against the United Kingdom after discovering that 1,400 tons of waste that were mislabelled as recyclable plastic had been imported into Brazil from the UK. “I’m surprised to learn that trash was improperly imported, with a false characterisation, from Britain into Brazil,” Roberto Messias Franco, the head…
-
AP: US Wins in Media Dispute with China
The US has mostly prevailed against China in a WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) case regarding Chinese import restrictions on US entertainment, such as CDs, DVDs, books, and computer software, the Associated Press reported. The confidential verdict was issued to Washington and Beijing last month and will be made available to the public on 12 August.…
-
WTO Farm Deal Would Open China's Markets Significantly, Study Finds
A global trade deal at the WTO would lead to significant cuts in China’s already-low agricultural tariffs, new ICTSD research shows. As governments renew efforts to clinch a deal in the ongoing Doha Round of trade talks, the study shows that the draft accord would cut China’s maximum permitted ‘bound’ farm tariffs by around one sixth…
-
Lamy Reports Little Progress in IP Talks
WTO Members remain deeply divided on critical intellectual property issues in the Doha Round negotiations, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy said on Monday at an informal consultation open to the entire Membership. Despite Lamy’s active involvement in the negotiations since March, Members remain at loggerheads over substantive matters, as well as over whether the current round…
- Events
-
Events
2-7 August, Veere, Zeeland, Netherlands. SUMMER SCHOOL ENERGY AND CLIMATE. This week-long conference, organised by WISE Amsterdam, is a summer school for young adults with an above average interest in the public debate on climate change and future energy supply. During one week, the participants will be educated on climate change and nuclear energy. Participants…
- Resources
-
Resources
COMPARING SAFEGUARD MEASURES IN REGIONAL AND BILATERAL AGREEMENTS. Paul Kruger, Willemien Denner and JB Cronje, Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa, June 2009. This study provides trade negotiators, policy-makers and other stakeholders with a clear, practical comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the various safeguard clauses included in bilateral and regional free trade…