Articles

EU Standing Pat in London

7 November, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
European Union trade commissioner Peter Mandelson yesterday assured the EU Council of Ministers that he will not table a new proposal on agricultural market access at the 'quad'plus ministerial meeting as demanded by the United States

U.S. non-paper on numerical market access targets for services negotiations

7 November, 2005
IATP
Alink to a new U.S. non-paper on numerical market access targets for services negotiations

G33 submits proposal on Special Safeguard Mechanism

1 November, 2005
By Tetteh Hormeku (TWN Africa), TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Nov05/2)
The Group of 33 developing countries in the WTO agriculture negotiations has submitted to the WTO a proposal on a special safeguard mechanism(SSM) for developing countries.

Reactions to EU proposal range from 'disappointing' to 'unacceptable'

1 November, 2005
By Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct 05)
Initial reactions to the European Union's 28 October proposal on agriculture have been mainly unfavourable, with some countries calling it disappointing and others finding it unacceptable, for various reasons.

G33 raises concerns about SDT and Process

31 October, 2005
IATP
A letter from the G33 to the various Chair's of the negotiating groups, raising concerns that Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) is lacking in the negotiations and reaffirming the importance of an inclusive and transparent process in the negotiations.

New EU Proposal on the WTO negotiations

27 October, 2005
IATP
Title

Impasse on talks on TRIPS and Health 'permanent solution'

27 October, 2005
By Martin Khor (TWN), TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct 2005)
An impasse became evident on negotiations on the major remaining issue relating to the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health when some key members appeared far apart on a solution, and disagreed even on how the process of consultations is going on, during a meeting of the TRIPS Council on 25 October.

LDCs request exemption from TRIPS for another 15 years

27 October, 2005
By Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct05)
The least developed countries in the WTO have made a request to the TRIPS Council to extend the transitional period for their implementing the TRIPS Agreement for a further 15 years after the present transition period expires at the end of this year.

Chirac signals France would block trade talks

27 October, 2005
By Graham Bowley, International Herald Tribune
President Jacques Chirac of France broke with the rest of the Union and said he was prepared to block world trade talks. Chirac's intervention came as the European Commission was due Friday to make a new offer to break the deadlock on world trade negotiations.

Agriculture: 'Agreement needed by 31 October or no Hong Kong deal'

26 October, 2005
By Kanaga Raja (SUNS), TWN Info Service on Trade and WTO Issues (Oct 05)
The Chair of the WTO agriculture negotiations, Ambassador Crawford Falconer of New Zealand, has warned members that 'material convergence', particularly on market access, was needed by 31 October, otherwise he would have to report that objectives for the Hong Kong Ministerial cannot be met.

Chirac will block Doha before cuts in farm aid

26 October, 2005
By George Parker, James Blitz and Wolfgang Munchau at Hampton Court and Raphael Minder in Brussels, Financial Times
Mr Chirac used the Hampton Court summit to fire a warning shot across the bows of Peter Mandelson, EU trade commissioner, who will today present a new European offer on agriculture to help break the deadlock in the Doha world trade talks.

Agriculture: ACP Group proposes lower tariff cuts for developing countries

25 October, 2005
By Tetteh Hormeku (TWN Africa), TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct05)
The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of countries in the WTO on Friday 21 October submitted a proposal on market access inagriculture, with its own set of thresholds in the tariff reduction formula for developed and developing countries, and with suggested tariff reduction rates for developing countries.

New agriculture proposals by G20 and Australia

24 October, 2005
IATP
Links to several G20 papers on elements of the agriculture negotiations plus a proposal by Australia on Sensitive Products

Canadian criticism strains relations with U.S.

24 October, 2005
By Joel Brinkley, New York Times
Perceived slights and misunderstandings are normal features of the United States' relationship with Canada. But Canadians and outside experts say Ottawa's view of Washington now is as strained and combative as anyone can remember.

Noticeable d?tente on Monday between Commission and some Member States on WTO negotiations - Mr Mandelson could present final European agriculture offer by end of next week

23 October, 2005
Agence Europe
There seemed to be a noticeable d

Developing countries comments on complementary approaches

22 October, 2005
A. Kwa
Some statements by developing countries rejecting the complementary approaches

Canadian Softwood Controversy Shows Why You Can?t Trust the US to Live up to Trade Deals

21 October, 2005
Walden Bello
As developing country negotiators in Geneva are offered what appears to be an attractive US offer to cut its agricultural subsidies by 60 per cent in order to pave the way to a new WTO Agreement in Agriculture, they might look at what is happening in Canada to understand why it is most unwise to enter into yet another trade agreement involving the United States.

Brazilian Official Defends Tariff Cuts, Hopes for Progress on Agricultural Goods

20 October, 2005
By Ed Taylor, International Trade
Brazil's Finance Minister Ant

African cotton countries demand concrete results at Hong Kong

20 October, 2005
By Tetteh Hormeku (TWN Africa), TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct05 )
Representatives of the West African cotton-producing countries have demanded a concrete resolution of the cotton problem at the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, as well as a clear indication now that this will be the case, if they are to have any stake in outcomes of the Conference.

No Breakthrough in Geneva

19 October, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
Chief trade ministers of the 'Five Interested Parties' the United States, the European Union, Australia, Brazil and India yesterday failed to 'break the ice' in the difficult market access area of the ongoing Doha Development Agenda agricultural trade negotiations