-
Governments Meet In Geneva To Discuss WIPO Development Agenda
Members of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) met in Geneva from 11-13 April to discuss whether the organisation is fulfilling its ‘development mandate’ as a specialised agency of the UN. Discussions centred around four proposals on how WIPO could best address development concerns. This process, a direct response to calls for a ‘development agenda’…
-
Antigua, US Gambling Dispute: Appellate Body Issues Mixed Report
On 7 April, the WTO Appellate Body released its ruling in the "gambling dispute" brought by Antigua and Barbuda against certain US laws restricting the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services from foreign operators (see BRIDGES Weekly, 17 November 2004; and BRIDGES Weekly 24 November 2004). Although the Appellate Body’s ruling was mixed, it…
-
S&D Talks Adjourn Early Amidst Disagreement
WTO Members continued to debate the order in which to address agreement-specific and cross-cutting issues related to special and differential treatment (S&D) for developing countries during a meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development Special (negotiating) Session (CTD-SS) scheduled for 6-7 April. The meeting was cut short because some countries, led by India, were…
-
Examination Of Small Economies' Problems Underway
At a 6 April meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development Dedicated Session (CTD-DS) WTO Members began examining the characteristics and problems of small economies. As per the process agreed at the previous meeting, according to which Members will first examine the characteristics and problems of small economies and then develop solutions to them,…
-
Rules Negotiations Focus On Anti-Dumping And Fisheries Subsidies
The formal meeting of the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules got under way on 11 March, following a long informal session on anti-dumping issues earlier that day. During the session, which ran until 13 April, Members focused on negotiations related to anti-dumping (AD), subsidies and countervailing measures (SCM). Egypt calls for clarification in the anti-dumping negotiations With…
-
Seven Asian Countries Agree to Push Forward on NAMA
Ministers and senior trade officials from seven Asian WTO Members have decided to try to reach a preliminary agreement on trade liberalisation in industrial goods by July, following an informal meeting on 10 April in Chiba, Japan. Notably, they appeared to agree with Japanese suggestions for tariff reduction that have proven controversial in ongoing talks…
- In Brief
-
In Brief
CHINA DECLARES OPPOSITION TO US, EU TEXTILE RUMBLINGS The Chinese government has declared its opposition to preliminary moves by the US and the EU that could eventually lead to the imposition of import restrictions on Chinese textiles. The US Commerce Department announced 4 April that it was starting investigations to ascertain whether certain textile and clothing imports…
- 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 us. ICTSD Event 19 April, Helsinki, Finland: TRADE, AGRICULTURE AND IP: ISSUES IN THE LEAD-UP TO HONG KONG. This Dialogue, co-organised by the Finnish Parliament, ICTSD and the Finnish…
- Resources
-
Resources
INCREASING PEOPLE’S ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL MEDICINES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. UK Department for International Development, March 2005. The paper encourages companies to engage in widespread differential pricing of essential medicines in developing countries to support the development of viable markets and increase investment in research and development for diseases affecting developing countries.…