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GC Chair Outlines Structure Of July Outcome
On 8 June, the Chair of the WTO General Council (GC), Shotaro Oshima (Japan), convened a brief meeting of Heads of Delegations in order to outline the basic structure and elements of a package deal on a negotiating framework Members seek to finalise by the end of July (see BRIDGES Weekly, 19 May 2004). The…
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Agriculture Negotiations: Members Still Divided Over Market Access
The WTO special session of the Committee on Agriculture (CoA) convened from 2-4 June for another ‘agriculture week’. Members are continuing negotiations and consultations in an effort to establish a negotiating framework agreement for the Doha agriculture talks before delegates adjourn at the end of July for the annual WTO break. The discussions mainly focused…
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Japan Proposes Disciplining Fisheries Subsidies
The WTO Negotiating Group on Rules, which focuses on the review and improvement of WTO rules that govern issues such as dumping, antidumping measures, subsidies and countervailing measures, met from 7-8 June to consider, among other things, new developments in the area of fisheries subsidies. Topping the agenda at the meeting was a surprise proposal…
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EC Releases First Submissions In GMO Dispute
The EC has defended its policies on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in its first written submission in the dispute launched by the US against a ‘de facto’ EC moratorium on the approval and marketing of biotech products (see BRIDGES Weekly, 28 April 2004). In the 17 May submission (available at http://www.trade-environment.org/output/theme/tewto/EC_submission_biotech.pdf), the EC…
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EU To Modify Import Regime For Bananas
On 2 June, the European Commission announced that it would shortly start negotiations to modify the current EC import regime for bananas. EC Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler said, "We are now moving to the final phase of our agreement and replacing the complex quota system by a simple tariff system. What will change is the…
- In Brief
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G-90 Adopts Decisions On WTO Talks At Guyana Meeting
WWF RELEASES PROPOSALS FOR REFORMING WTO FISHERIES DISCIPLINES On 9 June, environmental organisations WWF released a book, entitled "Healthy Fisheries, Sustainable Trade: Crafting New Rules on Fishing Subsidies in the WTO," which proposes specific changes to WTO rules to eliminate subsidies that drive overfishing. The book was released at a time when movement is apparent in…
- WTO in Brief
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WTO In Brief
SUPPLY-SIDE CONSTRAINTS FIGURE IN LDC SUB-COMMITTEE TALKS ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE On 7 June, the 37th session of the WTO’s Sub-Committee on Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) discussed, inter alia, technical assistance for acceding LDCs and for addressing LDC supply-side constraints. The technical assistance (TA) matters followed on the heels of the 9 March meeting of the Sub-Committee…
- Events
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Events
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. ICTSD 17 June, Sao Paolo, Brazil: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS - CHALLENGES FOR DEVELOPMENT. This ICTSD/UNAIDS Policy Dialogue, organised as a UNCTAD XI side event,…
- Resources
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Resources
TOWARDS A FAIR DEAL FOR MIGRANT WORKERS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. By the UN International Labour Office (ILO). This report is being presented at the International Labour Conference in Geneva 1-17 June. In practically every region, the rising mobility of people in their search for decent work and human security has been commanding the attention…