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A session of mainly informal negotiations took place at the WTOon agriculture issues on 30 May to 3 June. One of the key issues discussed was market access, especially the nature of the 'tiered formula' for tariff reductions.(M.Khor)

At the WTO agriculture session on 30 May to 3 June, the Groupof 33 (comprising 42 countries, mainly developing countries, whichare concerned about food security, livelihood security and ruraldevelopment needs) submitted two papers on special products (SPs)and special safeguard mechanism (SSM), in which the G33 spellout in greater detail their proposals on these two concepts.(M.Khor)

Negotiations aimed at producing a new global trade pact are moving very slowly on trade in services

With the World Trade Organization 6th Ministerial Conference just six months away, foreign governments are increasingly nervous about security preparations for the meeting amid worries that anti-globalization protesters could seek to disrupt the high profile talks.

The Group of 33 developing countries is upbeat about its chances that World Trade Organization members will accept its proposal on the implementation details of special and differential treatment in protecting staple farm products.

'NO countries will remain sovereign and advance if they keep depending on their food needs externally!

At the June 2-3 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Cheju, Korea, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Portman and Trade Ministers from the 20 other APEC economies unanimously endorsed a strong statement advancing an ambitious outcome to the WTO Doha negotiations and spurring further progress toward free and open trade and investment in the Asia Pacific region.

In another signal of congressional unease with U.S. trade policies and China's growing presence in the world trading system, more than 80 House members today voted in favor of a resolution calling for the United States to withdraw from the World Trade Organization.

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Part of the push came from the strong support for an ambitious NAMA approach tabled earlier this week by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers, who met last week in South Korea.