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Targeting Guatemala, US Launches First-Ever Labour Rights Dispute Under an FTA
In a landmark move, the US has launched a formal labour rights complaint against trade partner Guatemala under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). US Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced the decision on Friday during a speech in Pennsylvania. It is the first time that any country has filed a formal labour…
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Mercosur Establishes Customs Code, At Long Last
Mercosur, South America’s largest trade bloc, finalised at long last its customs code at the 39th Mercosur Summit in Argentina on Tuesday. The agreement, which took years to establish, now makes Mercosur a genuine customs union and will be phased in over the next year and a half before fully taking effect in 2012. Much of…
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US-Africa Trade in the Spotlight at Annual AGOA Forum
Ministers and trade officials from the United States and 38 African nations met in Washington this week to discuss US-Africa trade relations ten years after the US enacted the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The meeting, the ninth of its kind since the act became law in May 2000, represents “the highest-level dialogue between the United…
- In Brief
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Beluga Caviar Exports to Resume Following Spat over Quotas
Beluga black caviar will return to the global marketplace after producing countries on the Caspian Sea agreed to allowable quotas for wild-caught sturgeon. A de facto ban was implemented in 2009 when the five Caspian States - Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan - failed to agree on scientifically based quotas as required by…
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European Commission OKs 6 Strains of GM Maize for Food and Feed
The European Commission (EC) has approved six new varieties of genetically modified (GM) maize for use as food and feed in the EU, but not for cultivation. The authorisations are valid for ten years. Farmers are allowed to grow only two strains of GM crops in the EU: Monsanto’s MON 810 strain of maize, which was…
- Vacancies
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Vacancy: Research Assistant for ECDPM, Based in Maastricht
Research Assistant for the Economic and Trade Cooperation Programme AT ECDPM. The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) is looking for a creative individual for a six-month assignment (with possible extension/promotion based upon outstanding performance) to execute activities that will maximise the impact of the Centre’s dialogue, networking and capacity development activities…
- Events
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Events
9-10 August, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MANAGING FOREST RESOURCES FOR MULTIPLE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES UNDER ROBUST AND FRAGILE ENVIRONMENTS. This conference brings together international and local academics, policy makers, representatives of forest communities, donors, NGOs, and companies to advance the management of forest ecosystems. The event’s main objective is for attendees…
- Resources
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Resources
THE WTO AND ITS DEVELOPMENT OBLIGATION: PROSPECTS FOR GLOBAL TRADE. By Elimma C. Ezeani, Anthem Press, March 2010. This book uses WTO law as a foundation to grapple with questions on political economy, international relations, and development studies. The author analyses the underlying factors that are preventing developing countries from making meaningful gains from international…