Articles

Congress Still Strongly Opposes Trade Pacts Allowing Temporary Entry of Foreign Workers

25 May, 2005
By Gary G. Yerkey, International Trade Daily
The U.S. Congress will continue to oppose any agreement negotiated at the World Trade Organization that would allow foreign business and professional personnel to enter the United States to work on a temporary basis, a key congressional staffer said May 25.

Australia Notifies WTO Regarding Level Of Farm Subsidy Spending in 2003-2004

24 May, 2005
By Daniel Pruzin, International Trade Daily
Australia has notified the World Trade Organization of its farm subsidy spending for the 2003-2004 marketing year.

NAMA Chair Holds 'Confessionals' To Gauge Possibilities for Advancing Talks

24 May, 2005
By Daniel Pruzin, International trade Daily
The chairman of the World Trade Organization's negotiating group on NAMA has been holding private consultations with key member governments to gauge the possibilities for advancing the stalled talks.

Groser Resignation Stuns WTO Ag Negotiators; Officials Warn of Consequences for Farm Trade Talks

23 May, 2005
Daniel Pruzin, International Trade Daily
Trade officials in Geneva May 23 were stunned by the news that the chairman of the WTO's agriculture negotiations, New Zealand ambassador Tim Groser, has resigned as New Zealand's ambassador to the WTO, calling into question his continued leadership at a sensitive stage in the farm trade negotiations.

Trade Facilitation in WTO: Developing Countries Stress Need to Clarify Scope of Negotiations

23 May, 2005
WTO Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (May05/11)
While some members pressed ahead with proposals for new clarification of the relevant existing GATT rules as well as new obligations, several developing countries voiced their concern that some proposals that have been put forward exceeded the mandate for the negotiations.(M. Khor)

Trade Policy Steep Tariff Reductions Necessary In WTO Talks to Benefit U.S. Exporters

23 May, 2005
Gary G. Yerkey, International Trade Daily
National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), said that hundreds of millions of dollars a year worth of priority NFTC-member non-agricultural exports to six countries--Brazil, Egypt, India, Malaysia, South Africa, and Turkey--currently face 'uncertain' or 'prohibitive' tariffs.

China Told by US to Revalue Renminbi by 10%

23 May, 2005
Andrew Balls, Financial Times, London
The US Treasury has told the Chinese authorities that they must revalue their currency by at least 10 per cent against the dollar to prevent protectionist legislation in the US Congress.

Fair Trade Advocates Say Open Markets Could Shatter Small Farms

22 May, 2005
Michelle Chen (bio)
'[CAFTA] is going to be a disaster for farmers, in particular in the other member countries,' predicted Robert Scott, director of international programs at the Economic Policy Institute (EPI),

Report 2 on WTO Symposium: NGOs and trade unions criticise NAMA framework during WTO symposium

9 May, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (May05/5)
At the session, a broad range of NGOs and trade union representativescriticised the framework on NAMA (non agriculture market access) and the proposals tabled at the negotiations.(M.Khor)

Report 3 on WTO Symposium: Development absent in Doha talks, WTO symposium told

9 May, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (May05/6)
Although development is supposed to be at the centre of the Doha WorkProgramme, in reality the development dimension has not been adequately implemented, or may be absent altogether, in the current Doha negotiations, according to several panelists at a session on development during the WTO's public symposium held in Geneva on 20-22 April.

WTO symposium debates virtues or otherwise of liberalisation

9 May, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (May05/4)
The WTO organised a public symposium on 20-22 April on The WTO After 10 Years: Global Problems and Multilateral Solutions. It was attended by more than a thousand people.

Deputy Minister talks between SACU, US cancelled, no new date set

5 May, 2005
Inside US Trade
A deputy ministers meeting meant to restart talks on a free trade agreement between the U.S. and the Southern African Customs Union were cancelled this week and efforts to reschedule the meeting were unsuccessful.

Argentina-Brazil-India proposal on NAMA gets mixed reaction

3 May, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (May05/1)
A new proposal by India, Brazil and Argentina on NAMA presented at the NAMA Negotiating Group meeting on 25 April at the WTO received varyingdegrees of support from several developing countries, while being strongly criticised by the United States for not delivering sufficient market access. (M.Khor)

RP farmers face more risks as new WTO commitment looms

3 May, 2005
IBON Foundation
Philippine negotiators agreed to increase the minimum access volume (MAV) of rice for the seven-year extension of the special treatment for rice.

Stop rushing to a bad WTO deal, say Greenpeace and ActionAid

3 May, 2005
ActionAid International and GreenPeace International
ActionAid International and Greenpeace International warned that governments are rushing to complete a trade deal without considering the impacts on poor communities and the environment.

NAMA negotiations hit a snag as developed countries attack the Argentina-Brazil-India proposal

1 May, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (May05/2)
The negotiations hit a snag when a joint proposal by Argentina, Brazil and India (now termed the ABI proposal) drew strong criticisms from developed countries, supported by some Latin American countries.(M.Khor)

Hundreds of farmers demand trade justice

1 May, 2005
owinfs webmaster
The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (Farmer's Unity in Pakistan) commemorated Global Week of Action and Farmer's Struggle Day of 17th April with a rally and a press conference.

More Filipinos to lose jobs under WTO agreement

28 April, 2005
IBON Foundation, Inc.
Filipino workers should not only intensify their call for a wage hike but also pressure the Arroyo government to advance the interests of local industries amid ongoing negotiations for the non-agricultural market access (NAMA) at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Doha global trade round 'close to crisis'

27 April, 2005
By Frances Williams in Geneva
Supachai Panitchpakdi, director general of the World Trade Organisation, on Thursday warned that the Doha round of global trade talks was 'close to a crisis'.

WTO Agriculture meeting suspended over 'misunderstanding' on AVEs

20 April, 2005
WTN Info
The agriculture negotiations at the WTO hit a snag lastweek when the formal meeting had to be suspended over a 'misunderstanding' on what seemed to have been an agreement on how to treat the issue of converting non-ad valorem duties into ad valorem equivalents (AVEs).(M. Khor)