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WTO: MEMBERS MEET INFORMALLY TO CONSIDER AG
On 24 October, Chair Perez del Castillo and Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi held an informal "Ambassador plus one" ‘green-room’ consultation with a smaller group of key Members to discuss how to revive the multilateral farm trade negotiations. Talks have been stalled since the Cancun Ministerial ended abruptly before trade…
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WTO 'GREEN ROOM' MEETS ON NON-AG MARKET ACCESS; SINGAPORE ISSUES FORTHCOMING
Market Access informal mirrors Cancun, pre-Cancun discussions On 28 October, approximately 30 WTO Members gathered for the first ‘green room’-style informal meeting since Cancun on non- agricultural market access (NAMA). Country delegates focused on how to move forward with the NAMA text that was included as an annex in…
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EU STILL IN 'REFLECTION MODE'
The EU, which has taken the approach of listening rather than leading with regard to reviving international trade talks, is planning to release the results of an internal consultation and assessment process by 15 December this year. A senior officials meeting of the 133 Committee (an EU decision-making body for trade, in which members states…
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BRIEF CTE MEETING ADDRESSES ILLEGAL LOGGING, PARA. 51
WTO Members convened on 28 October for the first post-Cancun session of the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE). The meeting lasted only two hours, as most delegates perceive progress in the CTE regular sessions to be linked to the CTE special sessions (CTESS), which are currently postponed until further notice along with all other…
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WTO LABELLING EVENT HIGHLIGHTS OPPORTUNITIES, PITFALLS IN STANDARD-SETTING
WTO LABELLING EVENT HIGHLIGHTS OPPORTUNITIES, PITFALLS INSTANDARD-SETTING Geneva-based WTO delegates and officials from capitals convened on 21- 22 October for a workshop on labelling, where countries explored a range of standards-related initiatives. Termed a ‘Learning Event’, the session was organised around presentations of ten case studies, with a focus on developing country programmes…
- In Brief
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In Brief
GMOS: EU POSTPONES SEED LAW, NZ ENDS MORATORIUM The European Commission has delayed a decision on new rules for the purity of seeds, including thresholds for the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The EC Standing Committee on Seeds had been scheduled to vote on the rules at its 27-28 October meeting. Under a new…
- Events
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EVENTS
For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar at: http://www.ictsd.org/cal/index.htm. If you would like to submit an event, please email events@ictsd.ch. Coming Up: 30 October to 5 November 29-30 October, Rüschlikon, Switzerland: BEYOND CARBON - EMERGING MARKETS FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES. This initiative is organised by…
- Resources
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RESOURCES
FTAA: A THREAT TO FREEDOM AND FREE TRADE. IP Justice, October 2003. This report by the international civil liberties group IP Justice analyses sections of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Treaty having to do with intellectual property (IP). According to the group, the treaty will vastly expand criminal procedures and penalties against…