Agriculture

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

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.

Time Is Running Out for 'Cotton' Initiative

19 October, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
Trade ministers of Mali and Chad yesterday warned that time is running out for a much-promised 'cotton' initative

An LDC 'Smokescreen' in Geneva

19 October, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
Brazil's external relations minister and chief trade negotiator Celso Amorim yesterday warned against creating a 'smokescreen' in the Doha Development Agenda trade negotiations

US offers some specifics on food aid plan with three boxes idea

6 October, 2005
Inside US Trade
U.S. officials over the last few weeks have offered some additional specifics about how it might be able to agree to new disciplines on food aid in the ongoing Doha round

US Congress in bad mood about ag trade and WTO

2 October, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
Even when it came to the obvious benefits for US agriculture contained in the recent US-Central American Free Trade Agreement, it was difficult weaning support from most members of the House Agriculture Committee, commented a senior committee aide on Friday

Falling Short on Agriculture in Paris

25 September, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
Trade chiefs of the new 'quad' grouping of nations the United States, the European Union, Brazil and India failed to make headway in reconciling their positions in agriculture

WTO agriculture chair indicates change in approach

22 September, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
The week of agriculture negotiations at the World Trade Organisation ended a day earlier than scheduled, due to lack of any new 'movement' by the major members.

WTO Agriculture: Dynamite quotes from Congress, USTR, Ag Secretary on US agenda

22 September, 2005
Lori Wallach, Todd Tucker, Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch
Highlights on the best of the best and also has a transcript based on Public Citizen's notes of the entire hearing

USTR Portman Backs Congress in Rejecting EU Call to Turn Food Aid Into Cash Transfers

21 September, 2005
By Gary G. Yerkey, International Trade
U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman on Sept. 21 rejected calls being made by the European Union to agree in the ongoing Doha Round of World Trade Organization talks to convert U.S. food aid into cash payments, saying that he would fight to maintain the current system.

Who will protect farmers rights in Egypt?

20 September, 2005
Land Centre for Human Rights
After the decrease of the prices of cotton 'white gold', Egypt is seeing the collapse of farmers incomes and the deterioration of the textile industry.

'Quad' Meeting Critical for DDA

20 September, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
Washington and Brussels will have a try at kick-starting the stalled Doha Development Agenda trade negotiations by presenting some ideas on agricultural market access and domestic supports to the two other members of the so-called 'quad' meeting set for Friday India and Brazil and then bring them to more partners

Portman Urged To Resist Pressure On Food Aid Programs

20 September, 2005
National Journal's CongressDailyPM
Among the highlights: Portman agreeing that food aid should be in commodities not cash; Repeated declaration from Administration officials and members of Congress that US needs to 'box shift' domestic support and jack up payment levels in farm bill so as to make for higer baselines; Senate Ag committee chair saying that for Hong Kong 'No Agreementi better than a bad agreement' which in his view means major tariff cuts to allow for more US market access.

US won't cut farm subsidies unless others do-Portman

20 September, 2005
By Doug Palmer and Sophie Walker, Reuters
The United States will demand other countries make steep cuts in their farm subsidies and tariffs before considering any change to its own programs, the chief U.S. negotiator said on Wednesday as lawmakers mulled how world trade talks could reshape the U.S. farm safety net.

Review of different positions in WTO agriculture talks

19 September, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Sept05/6)
The meeting of the WTO General Council at the end of July 2005 failed to produce an outcome in terms of 'additional convergence' on a range of issues mainly because of the lack of progress in the negotiations on agriculture among a small group of countries.

Bridging Some US-EU Differences

14 September, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
Summing up the outcome of three separate meetings Tuesday and yesterday, US Trade Representative Rob Portman and visiting European Union Commissioner for Trade Peter Mandelson said both sides have made progress in bridging their differences in the Doha Development Agenda agriculture negotiations

WTO talks resume with 'warming up' meeting on agriculture

14 September, 2005
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Sep05/1)
The WTO on Tuesday 13 September kicked off what is expected to be an intense period of negotiations with a formal meeting of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session

Bridging Some US-EU Differences

14 September, 2005
Washington Trade Daily
US Trade Representative Rob Portman and visiting European Union Commissioner for Trade Peter Mandelson said both sides have made progress in bridging their differences in the Doha Development Agenda agriculture negotiations