Articles

Govt asked to ban farm comodity imports

19 April, 2005
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A group of non-governmental organizations staged a rally on Monday in front of the ministry of Trade and the State Palace to demand that the government ban the import of staple agricultural products and protect local farmers with subsidies and tariffs.

Govt asked to ban farm comodity imports

19 April, 2005
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A group of non-governmental organizations staged a rally on Monday in front of the ministry of Trade and the State Palace to demand that the government ban the import of staple agricultural products and protect local farmers with subsidies and tariffs.

Trade in Cultural Goods and Services: Assessing the compatibility between WTO trade rules and UNESCO's cultural diversity Convention

11 April, 2005
INCD
On 20 April at 3:00 pm, the INCD will hold a seminar at WTO headquarters in Geneva to discuss the cultural implications of the General Agreement on Trade in Services and the potential implications for trade rules of the new UNESCO Convention.

Japan hopes to break tariffs deadlock

10 April, 2005
By Mariko Sanchanta (<a href='http://news.ft.com/cms/s/18a50f28-aa26-11d9-aa38-00000e2511c8.html'>news.ft.com</a>)
Shoichi Nakagawa, Japan's trade minister, yesterday pledged to push ahead with informal meetings with other World Trade Organisation members ahead of the next official round of trade talks in December.

Progress Made on WTO Trade Deal

10 April, 2005
<a href='http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/ap/2005/04/11/ap1935651.html'>Associated Press</a>
World Trade Organization members are inching closer to a preliminary free trade agreement ahead of the body's December ministerial meeting in Hong Kong.

Appellate Body Decision on the US-Gambling Case

7 April, 2005
unknown (owinfs listserv)
On April 7, the WTO Appellate Body published its decision on the US-Gambling case. In November, 2004 a panel had largely ruled in favour of a complaint by Antigua-Barbuda that US federal and state laws prohibiting cross-border gambling violated US commitments under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

RNM Update

7 April, 2005
Carribean Regional Negotiating Machinery
Latest news from the Carribean Regional Negotrating Machinery

WTO says gambling a U.S. services commitment, but U.S. sees way out

7 April, 2005
Inside US Trade
The World Trade Organization's Appellate Body yesterday (April 7) upheld a 2004 panel ruling that the U.S. had agreed to allow cross-border gambling services under its Uruguay Round services commitments, a decision that could lead to future challenges of U.S. regulations on gambling.

Final WTO Panel Upholds Ruling Against U.S. Internet Gambling Ban in Explosive Decision With Broad Political, Policy Implications

6 April, 2005
Public Citizen
Public Citizen press release

'GATS talks will move only with a ?big leap? in Mode 4'

5 April, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Apr05/2)
Developing countries are likely to move forward in the WTO services negotiations only if there is a

GATS negotiators debate if there is a ?crisis? in WTO services talks

5 April, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Apr05/3)
Some key players in the services negotiations in the WTO believe the talks are in a state of crisis because of the lack of offers or serious offers by many members so far. (M.Khor)

Disappointing results for South so far in GATS talks

5 April, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Apr05/4)
The services negotiations in the WTO have so far not attained an overall balance of rights and obligations, the increase in developing countries' service exports has been small, and the initial offers by major trading partners has been disappointing for developing countries.(M.Khor)

Indonesia, U.S. revive bilateral trade and investment talks

1 April, 2005
Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Indonesia and the United States met and revived bilateral talks on trade and investment here on Friday -- a move that could lead to free trade negotiations between the two countries.

Services Update from India

28 March, 2005
EQUATIONS
Mode 4 - Indo-US FTA? India will continue to push aggressively on the Mode 4 issue with other developed countries like the US and EU.

Critics Say Deficit Argues For Quitting WTO

26 March, 2005
The Oregonian Sunday, March 27, 2005
'I don't believe we can force American withdrawal, but once every five years we get to vote on it,' said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. 'And I think we can have a very vigorous debate.'

Why The Airbus-Boeing Case Could Wreck The WTO, And how To Stop It

26 March, 2005
Jeffrey E. Garten, Newsweek International
The spat has outgrown the World Trade Organization, which did not yet exist when the United States and EU first addressed the charges of unfair trade practices in the aerospace industry back in 1992.

Training Arab Countries On NAMA

26 March, 2005
Middle East North Africa Financial Network - Middle East
The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is strengthening its efforts to prepare the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member states for membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

US Draft Paper Counters Development Agenda In WIPO

24 March, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Mar05/11)
The paper, titled 'Establishment of a Partnership Program in WIPO' states that WIPO already has a 'robust development agenda' in all its work, and it clearly ignores and sidesteps the demands of the proponents of a 'development agenda' in WIPO.

US draft paper counters Development Agenda in WIPO

24 March, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Mar05/11)
The US has informally circulated a draft paper containing its views and proposals for the meeting in WIPO on a Development Agenda.

Trade Facilitation: U.S., Uganda Call For WTO Ban On 'Consularization' Of Imports

22 March, 2005
Daniel Pruzin
GENEVA--The United States and Uganda have issued a joint proposal calling for a ban on so-called 'consularization' transactions and fees as part of a future World Trade Organization agreement on trade facilitation.