Articles

G10 Proposals on Agriculture: Domestic Support and Sensitive Products

30 January, 2006
IATP
Links to proposals on Domestic Support and the Treatment of Sensitive Products.

WTO delays ruling in GMO dispute until next week

29 January, 2006
Reuters
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has again delayed a ruling, due on Wednesday, in a closely watched dispute over the European Union's policy on genetically modified foods and crops (GMO).

EU signals to member states no new WTO farm offer imminent

19 January, 2006
Inside US Trade
In advance of a major speech on the Doha round by European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, the top EU official in Geneva this week told member states the that EU has no plans to put forward a new offer to reduce its farm tariffs.

EU prepares for bruising WTO ruling in biotech case

17 January, 2006
By Jeremy Smith, Reuters
Europe may suffer a bruising next month when a world trade panel delivers its long-awaited verdict on whether the EU's six-year blockade on biotech crops and foods was tantamount to a protectionist trade barrier.

From ?protest WTO? Hong Kong to ?Stop FTA? in Thailand: Movements are learning from each other: We are not losing the battle!

17 January, 2006
Junya Yimprasert, Thai Labour Campaign
An article reporting on the movement in Thailand learning experiences from global struggles against neo-liberal policy; WTO and FTA in particular

Japan govt says determined to protect farmers from free trade

16 January, 2006
AFX
Japan plans to resist pressure from major food exporting nations such as the United States to reduce protection for its farmers in global trade talks, its agriculture minister said.

Centam says trade pact stalled by medicine rules

10 January, 2006
By Mica Rosenberg, Reuters
Implementation of a new U.S.-Central American trade pact could be delayed by U.S. demands that its partners tighten their rules on cheap drugs that compete with the products of U.S. pharmaceutical firms.

Thai workers to stage a rally in front of the US embassy

9 January, 2006
Thai Labour Campaign
Press statement: Trade unions from state enterprises union confederations and different industrial areas including Rungsit, Omnoi-Omyai, Ayuthaya, Prapadaeng and the Eastern part of Thailand will stage a rally in front of the US embassy on 10th January 2006 to

10,000 protest US-Thai FTA talks

7 January, 2006
Bangkok Post
Thousands of Thais representing a diverse swath of society ranging from garlic growers to HIV/AIDS activists gathered outside a hotel in Thailand

The high cost of free trade

6 January, 2006
Mark Metherell and Matt Wade, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 January
When the free trade agreement with the United States kicked in a year ago, Bill Rush saw his big chance. His company, Australian Defence Apparel, makes ceramic plates to be worn over bulletproof vests to protect troops against armour-piercing fire. The Australian-owned company has beaten German and Israeli competition to supply the British Army and London Metropolitan Police with its plates. The prospect of a $40 million-plus sale to the US Army beckoned.

Farm groups disappointed with Hong Kong, wary of new Farm Bill

5 January, 2006
Inside US Trade
U.S. farm groups disappointed with the result of the Hong Kong ministerial say they will oppose a future Doha round deal and reduced subsidies in a new farm bill unless a multilateral deal produces real market access gains, particularly in developing countries.

Exports plummet in post FTA trade

3 January, 2006
ABC Online News, 4 January
Government figures show Australian exports to the US have fallen since the US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into force a year ago. In the 12 months to October last year, Australian exports to the United States fell by 4.7 per cent while US imports rose by 5.7 per cent.

WTO again delays ruling in row over EU GMO policy

3 January, 2006
Reuters
A world trade ruling in a high-stakes row between the European Union and the United States and others over genetically modified crops has been delayed and is unlikely before February, trade diplomats said on Wednesday

Argentine Minister Says Meager WTO Results Bode Badly for Pan-American Free Trade Deal

28 December, 2005
By David Haskel, International Trade Daily
Argentina's Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana Dec. 21 said insufficient progress on farm trade liberalization at the latest round of World Trade Organization talks held in Hong Kong bode badly for the U.S.-sponsored Free Trade Area of the Americas

Kenya seeks curbs on farm subsidies

7 December, 2005
Nation
Kenya has renewed its call for a reduction of domestic subsidies on agriculture in developed countries that have restricted access of exports to their markets. The other area of concern for Kenya is the elimination of subsidies to support exports that compete unfavourably with those from developing countries.

Keep fisheries out of Nama, says Indian industry

6 December, 2005
Financial Express
With the WTO ministerial conference scheduled to start in Hong Kong from December 13, the Indian marine industry has sought removal of fisheries from the non-agricultural market access (Nama) negotiations.

INTERVIEW-Congress may reject WTO duty-free farm plan

5 December, 2005
By Sophie Walker, Reuters
The U.S. Congress would probably reject a proposed deal by global trade ministers to give duty-free access to the world's poorest nations if the plan does not also open new markets for American farmers

TRIPS transition period for LDCs extended 7.5 years with conditions

5 December, 2005
By Sangeeta Shashikant, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Dec05)
Least developed country members as a group were granted extension of transitional period for 7.5 years to apply the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement. The extension is however subject to conditions that have been criticized by experts as severely constraining the benefits of the extension granted.

Papers on sectoral negotiations in GATS

4 December, 2005
Focus
Papers on arguments by some for commencing sectoral negotiations in the GATS, and the objectives of these negotiations

Local onions, garlic, vegetables becoming rare under WTO

4 December, 2005
IBON Foundation, Inc.
media release: The vegetables Filipinos consume may soon come only from Taiwan, mainland China, or the US rather than the Cordilleras or Ilocos as vegetable imports continue to push out local produce from the domestic market, according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation.