Archive

December 9th, 2015

Carta de la sociedad civil acerca de la Conferencia Ministerial de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) a realizarse en Nairobi

9 December, 2015
En nombre de 453 organizaciones de la sociedad civil, entre ellas sindicales, ecologistas y de agricultores/campesinos, grupos de desarrollo y de interés público de más de 150 países nos dirigimos hoy a ustedes para expresar nuestra alarma extrema respecto de la situación actual de las negociaciones en la OMC. Les exhortamos a que en la próxima Conferencia Ministerial de Nairobi tomen en serio la necesidad de cambiar las normas vigentes de la OMC para conseguir que el sistema de comercio mundial sea más compatible con el desarrollo centrado en los pueblos, y rechacen las iniciativas de algunos países desarrollados que quieren abandonar la agenda de desarrollo y remplazarla por un conjunto de llamados "nuevos asuntos" que en realidad son asuntos no comerciales que afectarían profundamente las economías nacionales y limitarían el espacio político nacional necesario para el desarrollo y la defensa del interés público.

November 7th

La mayor ciudad de Suiza se declara “zona libre del TISA”

6 November, 2015
Public Services International (PSI)
La ciudad de Zurich ha votado a favor de declararse ‘zona libre del TISA’, una iniciativa que pone de manifiesto el creciente rechazo a las conversaciones sobre comercio secretas.

Food security: US, EU rule out permanent solution for public stock holding programmes

7 November, 2015
live mint
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for an outcome on public stockholding programmes for food security at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) ministerial meeting next month in Nairobi has almost been spiked after the US, the European Union, Canada and Australia ruled out any change from the existing interim arrangement.

The long arms of trade

4 November, 2015
India Together
As the countdown for the tenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Nairobi, Kenya through 15-18 December commences, Shalini Bhutani emphasises the need for a cautious deliberation on how trade rules affect key sectors and all stakeholders.

November 4th

Away from the Glare, a Push for More Stringent IPR Protection at the WTO

2 November, 2015
The Wire
The United States and Switzerland want the right to file complaints for loss of trade ‘benefits’ even against countries whose intellectual property rights laws are fully consistent with international agreements

‘Indian and African leaders must not fail to protect interests of locals at upcoming WTO meet'

28 October, 2015
Down To Earth
In a join civil society statement Indian and African CSOs called upon Indian and African leaders not to fail to protect interests of locals at upcoming WTO meet.

Unconditional 17-year exemption from pharmaceuticals patents agreed

3 November, 2015
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Nov15/02)
The United States and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at the World Trade Organization have reached agreement ad referendum on a pharmaceutical patent exemption for a duration of 17 years, according to trade diplomats. With this exemption, the world’s poorest nations will not be obliged “to implement or apply” or “to enforce” patents as well as test data protection for pharmaceutical products until 1 January 2033.

Envoys cry foul as US seeks to protect its farm export credits

2 November, 2015
Live Mint
The US has demanded ‘safe harbor’ protection for its controversial farm export credit programme from the disciplines underpinning the World Trade Organization’s agreement on subsidies and countervailing measures despite denying such a flexibility to India and other developing countries for public stockholding programmes for food security last year.

October 21st

“Unconscionable and indefensible” – U.S. 10-year offer to LDCs for pharmaceutical patent waiver

21 October, 2015
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Oct15/14)
The United States’ offer to least developed countries of a 10-year transition period to grant pharmaceutical patents is “unconscionable and indefensible”, according to six influential US non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In a letter dated 19 October to President Barack Obama, the NGOs conveyed this strong criticism in view of the public health and other developmental challenges facing least developed countries (LDCs).

September 10th

REDES - AT celebra la definición del Frente Amplio y el gobierno uruguayo de salir de las negociaciones del TISA

9 September, 2015
REDES – Amigos de la Tierra Uruguay
Amigos de la Tierra Uruguay celebra y felicita el espacio de discusión abierto por el Frente Amplio y sus bases para analizar la presencia de nuestro país en las negociaciones del Acuerdo de Liberalización del Comercio de Servicios (TISA, por su sigla en inglés), y la posterior decisión del presidente Tabaré Vázquez de que nuestro gobierno se retire de esas tratativas.