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Members 'recalibrating' expectations for Hong Kong and beyond
After admitting that they remain too divided to agree on a far-reaching, detailed framework for the Doha Round trade talks at the WTO’s 13-18 December Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, Members are attempting to determine exactly what would be in a deal that they might successfully conclude there. WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy told a heads of…
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LDC S&D Proposals Take Centre Stage In CTD-SS
Chair Faizel Ismail told a 14 November formal meeting of the WTO Committee on Trade and Development Special Session (CTD-SS) that Members had made "no considerable progress" towards a consensus text on trade and development for the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference. Delegates at the meeting also focused on five potential amendments to WTO agreements based…
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Services Chair's Draft Hong Kong Text Leaves Door Open To Benchmarks
Services Chair Mexican Ambassador Fernando de Mateo’s draft ministerial declaration text on services trade leaves the door open to mandatory benchmarks for liberalisation, which is likely to earn the ire of WTO Members who are firmly opposed to the concept. The draft ministerial text was prepared by de Mateo under his own responsibility after numerous consultations…
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Trade Facilitation Talks Meet Setback Over Draft TNC Report
WTO talks on trade facilitation stalled on 11 November when a meeting of the Negotiating Group fell apart after Members could not agree on the contents of their draft report to the to the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC). The immediate cause of the breakdown was said to be a perception by many developed countries that…
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WTO Environment Committee Debates Draft Text For Hong Kong
Discussions on versions of the draft ministerial declaration text on trade and the environment for the WTO’s Hong Kong Ministerial Conference continue to reflect Members’ divisions over how to identify environmental goods and services for the purpose of liberalising trade in them. The latest version of the draft text, put together by environment negotiations Chair Ambassador…
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Banana Row To Be On Hong Kong Agenda
Honduras has asked for its banana dispute with the EU to be placed on the agenda for the 13-18 December WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong. After its banana import regime was found to be WTO inconsistent in 2001, Members at the Doha Ministerial Conference granted the EU a waiver (the so-called ‘Cotonou waiver’) allowing it…
- In Brief
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In Brief
APEC MINISTERS CALL FOR PROGRESS IN DOHA ROUND NEGOTIATIONS In an attempt to break the current deadlock in the Doha Round negotiations, trade and foreign ministers from Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) member countries have issued a "strong statement" urging WTO Members to overcome their differences. The ministers drafted the document during an afternoon meeting on 15…
- WTO in Brief
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Goods Council: Members Repeat Past Discussions On Textiles
At a 10 November meeting of the WTO Council for Trade in Goods (CTG), Turkey with support from Jordan and Tunisia reiterated its earlier demands for the creation of a work programme on textiles. As during the CTG’s previous meeting in July (see BRIDGES Weekly, 20 July 2005), Pakistan, India, Indonesia and China expressed opposition…
- 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. If you would like to submit an event, please email us. Upcoming : 17 November - 23 November 18 November, Bern, Switzerland: ACCESS TO PHARMACEUTICALS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: SOCIAL, LEGAL AND…
- Resources
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Resources
PROGRAMMING IN TRADE-RELATED CAPACITY BUILDING: A RESOURCE TOOL FOR PRACTITIONERS. By Chantal Blouin and Ann Weston. The North-South Institute, 2005. International trade is seen in the development community as an important tool for poverty reduction. However, many developing countries have been prevented from fully reaping the potential benefits of trade and trade liberalisation by limitations…