Archive - Aug 1, 2005

Hong Kong is preparing for a major resistance against unfair trade rules.

Something that's been kept quiet is how Congress will decide by Sept.16 to cut $3 billion in Agriculture Department programs during the next five years including $173 million in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

Farm policy chiefs of the European Union and the defensive Group-of-10 coalition on Friday signaled their opposition to cap high farm tariffs as suggested in the 'middle ground' market access formula of the Group-of-20 countries

At the 'somber' conclusion of last week's World Trade Organization General Council meeting, GC Chair Amina Mohamed unveiled a new 'blueprint' aimed at quickly transforming the Doha trade negotiations.

USTR Rob Portman pledged Washington's resolve to take the 'leadership role' in the faltering world trade talks

The United States said Friday it would find it 'difficult' to offer fresh concessions in the Doha services negotiations

The Trade Negotiations Committee heard assessments from members on 28 July 2005on the state of play in the negotiations, with many members expressing disappointment that there had not been as much progress as scheduled, and urging that negotiating momentum pick up from September, after the summer break.

The Chair of the WTO Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, at a meeting of the TNC on 28 July, summed up the situation in the negotiations on the Doha work programme as 'disappointing but not disastrous'.