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LOMÉ Revision Proposals Draw Sharp Criticism
The U.K. House of Commons International Development Committee last week issued harsh criticism against an European Commission (EC) proposal for negotiating Lomé V, the successor trade and aid agreement to the current Lomé IV Convention between the EU and 71 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) nations. The EC proposal calls for the EU to phase…
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UNEP Governing Council Endorses Increased Attention to Trade and Environment
UNEP Executive Director Klaus Töpfer last month outlined to the organization’s Governing Council a number of recommendations on the role the United Nations Environment Programme should play in the future. One of Dr. Töpfer’s priorities is to renew and strengthen UNEP’s work on trade and environment. “Together with [the United Nations Conference on Trade and…
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India’s Budget Reveals Import Hike, Increased IPR Funding
India’s 10-week old BJP-led coalition government last week released its 1998-99 budget including some notable provisions on import tariffs and intellectual property protection. The budget includes a proposed eight percent hike in import tariffs. Indian officials were quick to defend the hike, which they said is necessary to offset domestic sales taxes that have stifled…
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WTO: EU Given 15 Months to Comply With Beef Hormone Ruling
A WTO arbitrator ruled late last month that the EU has 15 months to comply with the February 1998 WTO ruling against the EU ban on hormone- treated beef imports. The EU had asked for over three years to comply with the ruling - which would have entailed a new risk assessment study and then…
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EFTA and Canada Link Up, Ahead of Their Neighbours
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - which includes Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein, last week announced plans to begin talks with Canada towards concluding a free trade agreement, expected to be ready for signature in 1999. 1997 trade between EFTA and Canada totaled US$3.9 billion: EFTA countries account for about three percent of world…
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African Bank Governors Give Non-Africans More Say - Africa Attracts Controversial Foreign Aid
Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) met last week in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire for its annual Board of Governors’ meeting. Delegates from 53 African nations and 24 countries from North and South America, Europe and Asia voted to increase the voice non-African countries will have in major AfDB decisions. This entails a switch from…
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Developing Countries Want More Time to Evaluate E-Commerce Agreement
WTO trade ministers at last month’s ministerial meeting in Geneva agreed to an interim global pact keeping electronic commerce (e-commerce) duty free until next year. Electronic trade is growing rapidly - the European Commission estimates that it could be worth $US1,000 billion by 2001. The U.S. pressed hard for a long-term global agreement on duty-free…
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Trade-Labour-Environment: Apples, Sticks and Carrots
The North-South division over trade and labour linkage is once again in the spotlight as labour ministers, employers and trade union representatives from 174 governments meet in Geneva for the annual International Labour Organization (ILO) Conference, underway since June 1. The ILO intends the conference to culminate in an agreement by members to outlaw the…
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In Brief
The WTO Appellate Body recently sided with the EU, Ireland and Britain in a dispute with the U.S. over the classification of computer networking equipment. The EU last year re-classified computer networking equipment as telecommunications equipment, which significantly increased the tariffs on networking equipment imports. This decision is significant in that it appears to be…
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Events & Resources
EVENTS International Maritime Organization Council, eightieth session, 15-19 June, London. For more information, contact International Maritime Organization, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR, Tel: (44 171) 735 7611, Fax: (44 171) 587 3210, Telex: 23588 UNCTAD–Preparatory Meeting for the High-Level Mid-term Review, 22-26 June, Geneva, Switzerland. For more information, contact External Relations…