A lawsuit filed today in US Federal District Court by public health and physician groups demands that corporate interests be balanced with public interest representation on US Industry Trade Advisory Committees (ITACs) that advise the US Trade Representative (USTR) on trade policies affecting public health
Benin's ambassador to the WTO Samuel Amehou and representatives of West African cotton producers today (Dec. 14) warned that their countries will refuse to support any agreement struck in Hong Kong if developed countries do not agree to cut their cotton subsidies.
Thousands of anti-globalization activists marched through Hong Kong watched by a huge security operation aimed at preventing a repeat of violence that has rocked previous WTO meetings.
The United States warned trading partners on Wednesday that the world would slip back into protectionism without progress in global talks to reform world commerce, stunting economic growth and hitting the poor.
World trade ministers launched a fresh bid to salvage free trade negotiations amid little hope for major headway, as thousands of protesters marched in the streets to denounce the WTO as an enemy of the poor.
Trade ministers began the difficult task of getting consensus on a new pact to boost global commerce as emerging giant China called on the developed world to give the poorest nations a fair break.
The United States and the European Union sparred on Wednesday over farm subsidies, food aid and measures to help the world's poorest countries, souring world trade talks that were already in trouble.
