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WTO Delegates Debate Draft Ministerial Statement
WTO delegates last week met to hammer out a statement for the May 18-20 WTO ministerial meeting. Members sparred over a few issues, most especially over whether new areas could be added to the WTO’s built-in work agenda and over when preparations will begin for negotiations on agricultural and services liberalization. Members also disagreed on whether…
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India to Join Paris Convention
Confirming India’s renewed momentum toward strengthening its intellectual property protection, it was reported that India would soon join the Paris Convention on intellectual property rights. The move is intended to extract maximum benefits from international conventions by providing Indian scientists and firms patent trademark protection in all member-countries. Joining the Paris Convention–an…
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U.S. Baits Hook in Shrimp Dispute; Administration Files Challenge to Shrimp Import Ban in Court
The U.S. last week issued its list of countries that meet U.S. requirements for turtle conservation in shrimp harvesting and are thus eligible to export shrimp to the U.S. market. The list signaled possible U.S. intention to maintain its disputed shrimp import ban despite an interim WTO ruling that the U.S. ban violates international trade…
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Accession Update: Taipei-China (Taiwan)
The working party on Taipei-China’s (Taiwan) accession to the WTO met last week in Geneva to discuss the island’s application for membership. The working party last met in February 1997: between then and last week Taiwan has worked out a number of bilateral agreements with WTO members, most notably concluding a bilateral agreement with the…
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International Banana Conference Focuses on Sustainability
As the EU met with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) leaders last week (see related story in this issue), nothing new emerged on the future of the EU’s banana import regime. The EU has put forward a proposed banana import regime in response to a 1997 WTO ruling which found that the EU system of…
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ACP Accuses EU of Foreign Dictation
EU officials and ministers from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries met in Barbados last week for an EU-ACP summit focusing on upcoming negotiations for Lome V, the successor trade and aid agreement to the current Lome IV Convention between the EU and 71 ACP nations. ACP leaders criticized the EU prior to their meeting,…
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G-15 Meet; Polynesian Islands Bond; IMF Reviews Egypt
Leaders from the so-called Group of 15 (G-15) nations met last week in Cairo where the focus was to be on the fallout and recovery from the financial crises in Southeast Asia. The G-15 is comprised of Argentina, Algeria, Brazil, Chile, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Senegal, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Venezuela. The G-15 was…
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Events/Resources
NGO Events during the WTO Ministerial, 18-20 May 1998, Palais des Nations, Geneva: CIEL: -”Relationship between trade rules and voluntary and compulsory labelling schemes,” May 18, 14-16 pm, Room C-3 Friends of the Earth US: -”Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the World Trade System,” May 19, 12-14 pm, Room C-3 Genetic Resources Action Int’l/GAIA Foundation: -”Sui…