Articles

WTO TRIPS Council Stumbles Over Inclusion Of Enforcement

26 October, 2006
Intellectual Property Watch
A meeting of the World Trade Organization committee responsible for intellectual property rights this week erupted in disagreement over how to address enforcement of those rights in the committee.

Leading Ministers of ACP states criticize EPA process, content

26 October, 2006
By Martin Khor,, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
Leading Trade Ministers in the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of states have strongly criticised the lack of development content of the Economic Partnership Agreements that they are negotiating with the European Union Commission.

Leading Ministers of ACP states criticize EPA process, content

26 October, 2006
By Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct06/13)
Leading Trade Ministers in the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of states have strongly criticised the lack of development content of the Economic Partnership Agreements that they are negotiating with the European Union Commission.

Workers urge Senate and Congress to junk the All-Trade Pact Toxic waste provisions prove again that JPEPA is disadvantageous for Filipinos

24 October, 2006
KMU
Militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today issued strong opposition to the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) approved between the RP and Japan governments.

NEW Report Critical of Gates/Rockefeller and FAO’s "Green Revolution for Africa"

19 October, 2006
Institute for Food and Development Policy
The Institute for Food and Development Policy, also known as Food First, today released a report that is highly critical of the Rockefeller and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations' $150 million 'Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa' (AGRA).

India moots dispute mechanism at WTO

18 October, 2006
The Deccan Herald
India next week will ask the World Trade Organization to establish a dispute settlement panel against Washington over its

Anti-free trade alliance plans mass protest during US-Malaysia trade talks at end-Oct

18 October, 2006
AP
Malaysian activists Thursday announced a mass a protest during U.S.-Malaysia talks later this month on a free trade pact, saying such an agreement could jeopardize jobs and deprive poor people of cheap, generic drugs.

UK urges Brussels to relent over new trade rules for poor nations

15 October, 2006
By Alan Beattie, FT
Poor countries must not be forced into opening markets or obliged to accept new rules governing foreign investment and competition law, the UK has told the European Commission.

India, EU Work Toward Trade Pact - Bid for Agreement by 2009 Underlines Bilateral Focus In Wake of Doha Collapse

12 October, 2006
By John W. Miller
The European Union and India stepped up free-trade negotiations that could one day link two of the world's biggest markets. Both sides said they hope to complete a deal by early 2009.

Final GMO panel limits application of MEAs in future WTO disputes

12 October, 2006
Inside U.S. Trade
The final World Trade Organization panel ruling on the European Union's moratorium on approvals of products with genetically modified organisms contains findings that will likely limit the extent to which future WTO panels will consider multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), according to private-sector sources.

Overview of bilateral free trade and investment agreements

12 October, 2006
FTA Watch
This 22-page document gives a general overview of free trade agreements (FTAs) and bilateral investment treaties (BITs) that have been signed or are being negotiated all over the world.

Small Nations' Doubts About EU Get Bigger

11 October, 2006
Peter Dhondt, IPS
BRUSSELS, Oct 12 (IPS) - A proposal by Senegalese Trade Minister Mamadou Diop to postpone the 2008 deadline for signing trade agreements with the European Union found much support at a meeting here Thursday.

Japan-RP economic pact brings dubious gain

10 October, 2006
By Sonny Africa, IBON Features
The agreement is biased towards the more powerful Japanese economic interests, so how can JPEPA be positive for the Philippines in terms of trade and investment?

Report 3 on UNCTAD meetings: Doha talks should resume but on development basis

9 October, 2006
By Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct06/04)
The World Trade Organisation's Doha negotiations should resume as soon as possible, and on the basis of the development mandate and principle so that the developing countries will really benefit, according to many developing countries individually or through their groupings.

Report 7 of UNCTAD meetings: Supachai outlines reform measures at UNCTAD MTR meeting

9 October, 2006
By Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct06/08)
A brief outline of how he intends to undertake some internal reforms in UNCTAD was given by its Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi at the policy dialogue of UNCTAD's Mid-Term Review on 4 October.

Economists in plea to open up food markets

9 October, 2006
Philip Thornton, The Guardian
About 100 professional economists have called on rich countries to kick-start the stalled world trade talks by opening up their food markets.

New EU trade strategy severely criticised

5 October, 2006
by Cillian Donnelly, EU Reporter
Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson is

Schwab calls on services industry to increase trade lobbying efforts

5 October, 2006
Inside US Trade
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab this week told members of the services industry that they are leaving too much of the lobbying for approval of trade agreements to agriculture groups, which are taking on that effort to an extent that is disproportionate to the importance of agriculture for the U.S. economy.

EU to shift trade laws to erase some hurdles

3 October, 2006
By Tom Rachman and Dan Bilefsky, International Herald Tribune
The European Union is planning a broad shift in its trade policy that will no longer focus chiefly on foreign tariffs that drive up the price of EU products, but also seek to remove more subtle obstacles that block European businesses from getting a foothold overseas, particularly in China.

EU Move Could Bring Disaster to the Poor

3 October, 2006
by Sanjay Suri, Inter Press Service News Agency
The call to end protectionism at home is likely to lead to some rumblings within Europe, but the announcement really set off alarm bells among those seeking to protect the rights of people in developing countries.