News

Food security: US, EU rule out permanent solution for public stock holding programmes

7 November, 2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for an outcome on public stockholding programmes for food security at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) ministerial meeting next month in Nairobi has almost been spiked after the US, the European Union, Canada and Australia ruled out any change from the existing interim arrangement.

Switzerland’s largest city declares “Tisa-Free Zone”

6 November, 2015
The city of Zurich has voted to declare itself a TISA-free zone, in a move which emphasizes a growing resistance to the secret trade talks. A proposal introduced to the Zurich Communal Council by the Green Party was passed by a firm majority and could help to establish a precedent for other regions across Europe who may hope to do the same.

The long arms of trade

4 November, 2015
As the countdown for the tenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Nairobi, Kenya through 15-18 December commences, Shalini Bhutani emphasises the need for a cautious deliberation on how trade rules affect key sectors and all stakeholders.

Unconditional 17-year exemption from pharmaceuticals patents agreed

3 November, 2015
The United States and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at the World Trade Organization have reached agreement ad referendum on a pharmaceutical patent exemption for a duration of 17 years, according to trade diplomats. With this exemption, the world’s poorest nations will not be obliged “to implement or apply” or “to enforce” patents as well as test data protection for pharmaceutical products until 1 January 2033.

Away from the Glare, a Push for More Stringent IPR Protection at the WTO

2 November, 2015
The United States and Switzerland want the right to file complaints for loss of trade ‘benefits’ even against countries whose intellectual property rights laws are fully consistent with international agreements

Envoys cry foul as US seeks to protect its farm export credits

2 November, 2015
The US has demanded ‘safe harbor’ protection for its controversial farm export credit programme from the disciplines underpinning the World Trade Organization’s agreement on subsidies and countervailing measures despite denying such a flexibility to India and other developing countries for public stockholding programmes for food security last year.

‘Indian and African leaders must not fail to protect interests of locals at upcoming WTO meet'

28 October, 2015
In a join civil society statement Indian and African CSOs called upon Indian and African leaders not to fail to protect interests of locals at upcoming WTO meet.

“Unconscionable and indefensible” – U.S. 10-year offer to LDCs for pharmaceutical patent waiver

21 October, 2015
The United States’ offer to least developed countries of a 10-year transition period to grant pharmaceutical patents is “unconscionable and indefensible”, according to six influential US non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In a letter dated 19 October to President Barack Obama, the NGOs conveyed this strong criticism in view of the public health and other developmental challenges facing least developed countries (LDCs).

Nairobi WTO meeting to test India’s resolve on agriculture

13 October, 2015
India unlikely to secure credible gains for its millions of poor farmers unless the govt stands firm against the US over its opposition to New Delhi’s demands in agriculture

Africa and the WTO - the Perils of Weakening the Development Agenda

9 October, 2015
Biraj Patnaik and Timothy A. Wise in this article underline perils of Weakening the Development Agenda for Africa in the run up to 10th WTO Ministerial at Nairobi.

Africa needs substantial cuts in domestic subsidies of North, US told

5 October, 2015
The African Group on Monday (September 28) has told the United States that they will need substantial reduction commitments in the domestic support pillar of agriculture based on the 2008 revised draft modalities to conclude the Doha Round, African trade envoys told the SUNS.

US will deny S&D for China and India, no DDA after Nairobi

5 October, 2015
The United States intends to pursue, after the Nairobi WTO Ministerial Conference, an aggressive trade strategy by forcing "differentiation" to deny special and differential treatment for China and India at the World Trade Organization (WTO), several people familiar with the development told the SUNS.

Africa needs substantial cuts in domestic subsidies of North, US told

1 October, 2015
The African Group on Monday (September 28) has told the United States that they will need substantial reduction commitments in the domestic support pillar of agriculture based on the 2008 revised draft modalities to conclude the Doha Round, African trade envoys told the SUNS.

Destruction of US credibility at WTO

10 September, 2015
Assessing US's position in WTO negotiations on permanent solution to the public stock-holding issue in food security, Timothy A. Wise and Biraj Patnaik argue that 'it is hypocritical of the US to give price support to its farmers while denying it to the world’s poorest farmers'.

Uruguay abandons TiSA

10 September, 2015
On 5 September 2015 a very large majority of the Frente Amplio, the governing political coalition in Uruguay voted against continuing to be part of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) negotiations taking place in Geneva. These plurilateral negotiations are taking part outside the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its General Agreement on Services (GATS) and have generated concerns over the adverse impacts of the type of services liberalization pushed for by developed countries led by the United States, the European Union and Australia.

Uruguay abandons TISA negotiations! A victory for PSI affiliates

8 September, 2015

With a statement on the President’s website and following political debate on the issue, President Tabaré Vázques announced on 7 September that Uruguay will leave the TISA negotiations.

How the US is Using a Secret Agreement on Services to Wriggle Out of Its WTO Obligations

17 July, 2015
It is increasingly evident that the TiSA negotiations are an attempt to pressure developing countries to grant greater liberalisation in sectors of interest to the US and other industrialised countries, without the latter having to pay any price for it.

Post-Bali work programme not doable by end-July, says DG Azevedo

14 July, 2015
Several developing countries on Wednesday (July 8) expressed their frustration with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevedo's announcement that the work program with precise modalities for concluding the Doha Development Round (DDR) trade negotiations will not be delivered by end-July.

CUPE delegates in Colombia to oppose secret TISA deal

13 July, 2015
The Frontlines Initiative is a joint project of four national public sector unions - the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) - which joins forces with sister unions in Colombia to fight against the privatization of public services and to strengthen each other’s struggles to defend human and labour rights. The delegation in Colombia received an important briefing on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), a proposed international trade treaty that, if ratified, will put public services in Colombia, Canada and 48 other countries at extreme risk.

Huge International Coalition Calls for a Big Change to WTO Agenda

10 July, 2015
Negotiations in the WTO are heating up – and they are going badly. In November last year, WTO members agreed to come up with a “Work Program” for resurrecting the Doha Round by July 31. In this article Deborah James of OWINFS network articulates civil society position on recent developments in WTO negotiations.