-
TNC Stock-Taking Session: Negotiations Nearing Grinding Halt
The WTO Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) convened on 4-5 February for its first meeting in 2003 to take stock of progress in negotiations under the Doha mandate and to consider outstanding implementation issues. In his opening address, TNC Chair/WTO Director-General Supachai Panitchpak noted uneven progress across negotiating bodies, and emphasised the need to move away…
-
TRIPS Council Back at "Square One" on Medicines Issue
The Council for Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) made no headway on paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on TRIPs and public health at its 5 February informal meeting, prompting the chair, Ambassador Eduardo Perez Motta (Mexico), to note that discussions on the disease coverage were back at the stage they had been…
-
New Draft Report On S&D As Members Confront Third Deadline
Continuing their string of informal meetings in hopes of preventing a third deadline on the review of special and differential treatment (S&D) from slipping away unfulfilled, the special session of the Committee on Trade and Development met informally on 29 January, as well as on 3 and 6 February. The group met previously on 17…
-
European Commission Presents Services Liberalisation Offer
On 5 February, EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy outlined the initial EU offer to trading partners for additional services liberalisation commitments.Lamy stated that the EU was willing to offer further market openings in areas such as banking and telecom, whereas it would not take new commitments in public services such as health and education as…
-
Heavy Workload In DSB Negotiating Session
Meeting from 28 to 30 January, the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) special session discussed specific draft text for the clarification and improvement of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU). Members are currently reviewing the DSU, with a 31 May 2003 deadline (Doha Declaration paragraph 30). Discussions have previously centred around a "check-list of issues," with…
- In Brief
-
UNCTAD Launches Trade And Globalisation Project In India
FUNDING AND MERCURY CONCERNS RAISED AT UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL The 22nd session of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council meeting from 3-7 February in Nairobi, Kenya, highlighted issues related to mercury pollution as well as funding concerns. The Governing Council, which was in session at the time of publication of BRIDGES Weekly, is gathering…
- WTO in Brief
-
Indian Minister Seeks Coalition To Protect Farming Sector
US DELAYS WTO GMO CASE The US has postponed filing a case at the WTO against the EU’s de facto moratorium on the approval of genetically modified organims (GMOs). The decision was scheduled to be taken at a 3 February cabinet-level meeting. The meeting, however, was canceled and no new date has been set. Sources indicate…
- Events
-
Events
EVENTS For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar. If you would like to submit an event, please email events@ictsd.ch. ICTSD 11 February, 0900-1200, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT: WHAT NEXT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS? - CAFE & CROISSANTS DIALOGUE.…
- Resources
-
Resources
ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE - POPULAR ALTERNATIVES TO GLOBALIZATION AT THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM. Edited by William F. Fisher and Thomas Ponniah. Zed Books (March 2003). This collection examines the global justice movement, which seeks to provide more humanitarian alternatives to conventional ideologies of globalisation. It looks more specifically at the creation of alternative social…