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Note to Subscribers
Please note that that this is the last issue of ICTSD’s BRIDGES Weekly Trade News Digest for 1999. The Weekly Digest will resume on on Monday, 10 January 2000.…
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Basel Ministers Agree to Liability Protocol
Delegates from 130 countries met from 6-10 December in Basel, Switzerland for the Fifth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-5) to the Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes. Inter alia, Ministers took up the issues of adopting a Protocol for Liability and Compensation for Damage Resulting from Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their…
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UK Broils Over French Beef Ban; GMO News Around the World
As BRIDGES Weekly Trade News Digest went to press, France and Britain continued to lock horns over France’s refusal to lift its ban on British beef. France has balked over lifting a ban on imports of British (UK) beef as mandated by the European Commission in August 1999. The ban was implemented in March 1996 after…
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LOMÉ Talks: EU, ACP Meet
EU and African, Pacific and Caribbean (ACP) negotiators meeting from 7-8 December made some progress toward resolving differences between the EU and ACP over a new Lomé Convention. The Lomé IV Convention is a trade and aid agreement between the EU and ACP countries, and is set to expire in February 2000. On 19 October 1999,…
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The Aftermath of Seattle: A Summary of Views
Almost two weeks after the Third WTO Ministerial talks collapsed, delegates, trade ministers, civil society groups, protesters, and the general public still cannot agree on what, if anything, was achieved in Seattle. In the aftermath, parties are finger-pointing, claiming victory, or licking wounds. Almost as many post-mortems on the Ministerial have been written…
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Laying Blame for the Stalemate
There is no one clear reason for the demise of the Seattle talks. Fingers have been pointed at both individuals and groups, whether directly or indirectly involved in the Ministerial process. Inside the meetings, the complexity of the issues, lack of preparation, the stalemate over agriculture, the WTO process, the heightened strategic participation…
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"Victories"
Although Seattle failed to launch a new round of talks, some groups have claimed the talks to be a victory or a partial victory. Mike Moore, for example, pointed to the fact that Seattle enabled countries to narrow gaps in a number of key areas. See: “Press Release” http://www.wto.org/wto/new/press160.htm Countries such as India and Egypt…
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"Failures"
There seem to be fewer acknowledged failures in the international news wires than successes stemming from Seattle. However, the failure to launch a new round will clearly affect some countries more than others. The collapse of talks could cost Asia its desired market access and further trade liberalisation. See: “Seattle WTO failure…
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What Comes Next: What We Are Hearing So Far
The Built-in Agenda is slated to begin in the January 2000. Agriculture and services are on the agenda, but there is not deadline for agreement. What will happen with any progress made at Seattle is anyone’s guess. Charlene Barshefsky has given Mike Moore a mandate to consult with WTO governments in an…
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Ford Motors Quits Anti-Kyoto Group
Ford Motor Company, the world’s second-largest automaker, announced on 6 December that it had decided to quit the Global Climate Coalition, an industry grouping opposed to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on climate change. Ford officials said the decision to withdraw from the grouping was taken because the coalition had “become something of an impediment to…
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ATC Update
Although hopeful heading into the Third WTO Ministerial Meeting that they could flex their collective muscle on issues regarding implementation of existing agreements, developing countries left Seattle with little in hand. Developing countries were especially keen to make progress on market access for textiles and clothing, critical exports for many developing economies. They argue that restrictive…
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In Brief
Three hundred and fifty delegates from civil society around the world convened in Montreal, Canada from 8-10 December for the World Civil Society Conference. The meeting was organised by the Montreal International Forum to consider the role of civil society in global affairs. Delegates discussed a range of issues, including human rights, world poverty and…
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WTO In Brief
The WTO General Council will meet on 17 December, ostensibly to discuss the next steps to be taken regarding follow-up to the stalled Seattle Ministerial Conference negotiations. ICTSD will report on the outcome of the General Council meeting by 21 December with an In-Brief that will be posted on the ICTSD website at http://www.ictsd.org/html/newsdigest/wtoinbrief.21-12-99.htm .…
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On the Move
Joseph Stiglitz, Chief Economist for The World Bank, announced on 24 November that he would step down from his position at the end of 1999. Mr. Stiglitz, whose three-year contract was to expire in February 2000, said he would return to academia. Mr. Stiglitz’s term has been marked by clashes with the International Monetary Fund…
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Events & Resources
For a more complete list of events, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar at http://www.ictsd.org/html/calendar.htm WTO Meetings An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at http://www.wto.org/wto/about/meets.doc Please bear in mind that dates and times of WTO meetings are often changed, and that the WTO does not always announce the important informal meetings of different WTO…
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Position Vacancy
ActionAid is seeking an International Food Rights Campaign Director. Based in Africa, Asia, or Latin America, this experienced advocacy practitioner will lead, develop, manage and implement ActionAid’s International Food Rights Campaign, which has 12 full time staff in 10 locations worldwide. Reporting to the Head of Corporate Advocacy, the candidate will be an excellent communicator, with…