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NAMA Week: Members Discuss Argentina-Brazil-India Proposal
A recent proposal (TN/MA/W/54) from Argentina, Brazil, and India for reducing tariffs on non-agricultural goods dominated discussions during the first two days of talks in the WTO Negotiating Group on Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA). The US was particularly critical of the proposal, arguing that it would not guarantee increased market access for global goods trade. The…
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EU Launches Textiles Safeguard Investigations
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson announced on 24 April that he had decided to launch investigations into surges in Chinese textile exports to the EU. The process could potentially culminate in the imposition of restrictions on certain Chinese imports. The decision was triggered by data showing that increases in imports from China range from 51 percent…
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Asian, African Leaders Sign Cooperation Pact Amidst Flurry Of FTA Negotiations
Asian and African leaders signed an agreement 24 April promising economic, political and security co-operation, including expanded trade. The pact coincides with a flurry of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations involving countries from the two continents. Trade figured high on the agenda during the two-day summit meeting at Bandung, Indonesia, which culminated in the ‘New Asia-Africa…
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Russian, Saudi Accessions Inching Along Toward Hong Kong
Political momentum for completing the WTO accession negotiations of both Russia and Saudi Arabia has been building up recently, though some bilateral agreements with crucial trading partners remain unfinished. The WTO Working Party on the Accession of Russia met on 13 and 15 April. At the Working Party, Russia concluded bilateral negotiations on goods with 29…
- In Brief
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In Brief
EU COMMISSIONERS STRESS DEVELOPMENT DIMENSION OF EPAs Parliamentarians from both the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states and the EU met in Bamako, Mali on 19 April. EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel reported to the "Joint Parliamentary Assembly" on the EU’s humanitarian and development relations with the ACP countries, as well as on recent…
- WTO in Brief
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WTO In Brief
EU REVISED SERVICES OFFER NEARING APPROVAL On 20 April, the EU’s executive European Commission presented its revised market access offer for the ongoing WTO services negotiations to its 25 member states for approval and consultations. The offer will not, however, be circulated to all WTO Member countries until May. The offer expands on some of the market-opening…
- 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. If you would like to submit an event, please email us. Coming Up: 28 April - 4 May 28-30 April, Brussels, Belgium: INTERNATIONAL BANANA CONFERENCE II. The second International Banana Conference is organised by Coordinadora Latinoamericana de Sindicatos Bananeros…
- Resources
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Resources
BIG SUGAR AND THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF US AGRICULTURAL POLICY. By Kimberly A. Elliott. Center for Global Development (CGD), April 2005. This brief investigates the effects of sugar subsidies on developing world producers and US consumers. It outlines the political economy behind US sugar subsidies, and specifically looks at the ramifications of the Central American…