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US Senate Passes Stimulus Bill with Tempered 'Buy American' Requirements
The United States Senate passed a stimulus bill on Tuesday that includes controversial ‘Buy American’ purchasing requirements for iron, steel and manufactured products, but also carries a clause guaranteeing that the domestic-sourcing provisions do not violate the US’ international trade obligations. The US$ 838 billion package, which passed in a 67-31 vote, is intended to jump-start…
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WTO Warns against Protectionism, Promises Increased Monitoring
The WTO is set to step up its monitoring of trade policies introduced by governments struggling to cope with the worldwide economic crisis, amidst growing concern that tit-for-tat protectionism could deepen what is already the worst downturn in decades. WTO Members largely welcomed a recent report describing a wide range of trade-related policies governments have adopted…
- In Brief
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UN Urges Increased South-South Cooperation in Response to Crisis
As global indicators continue to reveal the breadth of the financial crisis, developing countries may soften the impact on their economies by increasing cooperation with other nations of the South, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Amidst UNCTAD forecasts that developing country exports may fall by as much as 9.2 percent in…
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Obama Names Republican Senator to Lead Commerce Department
Judd Gregg, a fiscal conservative and Republican senator from New Hampshire, is US President Barack Obama’s pick to serve as secretary of commerce, the White House announced last week. Gregg, the highest-ranking member of his party on the Senate Budget Committee, voted in favour of every major free trade agreement that came up for a vote…
- WTO in Brief
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India, China Butt Heads on Indian Toy Import Ban
Indian trade minister Kamal Nath says his country is willing to meet with China to discuss its temporary ban on Chinese toy imports. The recently announced import freeze has provoked an outcry from Chinese manufacturers and public officials, who say the ban is unfounded. “We are open to any discussions on this matter and until the…
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WTO Appellate Body Backs EU over US in ‘Zeroing’ Dispute
The WTO’s Appellate Body issued an opinion last week siding with the European Union in its challenge to the United States’ use of ‘zeroing’ in calculating anti-dumping duties. The report, released 4 February, comes amidst growing fears of protectionism in the international community, and is but the most recent addition to the significant body of WTO…
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Small, Vulnerable Economies Seek Safeguard Flexibility at the WTO
A developing country coalition that seeks stronger protection for domestic farmers in the agriculture trade negotiations at the WTO has called for countries classed as ‘small, vulnerable economies’ (SVEs) to be granted extra flexibility in a new proposal dated 6 February. SVEs should be granted additional leeway to raise tariffs temporarily in the event of an…
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Guatemala TPR Urges Focus on Competitiveness
Guatemala has continued to integrate economic liberalisation into its development strategy, a WTO review of the country’s trade policies concluded last week, but major challenges remain in achieving sustainable growth in income and poverty reduction. To further raise living standards, the country should keep promoting economic expansion, with a focus on enhancing its competitiveness in…
- Events
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Events
If you would like to submit an event, please email bridges_weekly@ictsd.ch. Coming up this week 15-16 February, Muscat, Oman: WIPO NATIONAL SEMINAR ON OMANI TRADITIONAL VALUES IN A GLOBALISED WORLD: THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CHALLENGE. This seminar will create futher understanding to the legal and technical aspects of intellectual property. Organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation,…
- Resources
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Resources
AGRICULTURAL EXPORT RESTRICTIONS: WELFARE IMPLICATIONS AND TRADE DISCIPLINES. By Siddhartha Mitra and Tim Josling, International Food and Agriculture Trade Policy Council, January 2009. This position paper, part of the Agricultural and Rural Development Policy Series, examines different factors that led to the commodity price increases in 2007 and 2008, which effectively limited global supply and…