Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 10 • Number 35 • 25th October 2006
Events
EVENTS
For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar at: http://www.ictsd.org/cal/index.htm. If you would like to submit an event, please email events@ictsd.ch.
Upcoming : 26 October-1 November
30 October, Geneva, Switzerland: AD HOC EXPERT GROUP ON COMPETITION LAW AND POLICY. Organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development. The meeting will focus on the relationship between competition law, policy and subsidies; and on the analysis of cooperation and dispute settlement mechanisms relating to competition policy in regional free trade agreements, taking into account issues of particular concern to small and developing countries. For more information see internet: http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Meeting.asp?intItemID=2068&lang=1&m=11964&year=2006&month=10.
30-31 October, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: REGIONAL DIALOGUE FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA ON TRADE IN SERVICES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Organised by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) with the collaboration of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) and the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF). The three aims of the meeting are to examine regional interests in services trade and the manner and extent to which these may be reflected in multilateral and regional trade negotiations as well as through autonomous reform in order to promote sustainable development, through bridging the information gaps among the countries in the region on trade in services; gather regional thinking on key issues relevant to WTO and other international trade negotiations; and enable stakeholders in Eastern and Southern Africa to better define and articulate their own services objectives and policies both domestically and in multilateral and regional trade negotiations. For more information, contact Heidi Ullrich; email: hullrich@ictsd.ch; internet: http://www.ictsd.org/issarea/services/roundtable/2006-10-30/2006-10-30_ESA_desc.htm.
30 October-4 November, Rome, Italy: COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY - 32ND SESSION. Organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) serves as a forum in the United Nations system for the review of policies concerning world food security, including food production and physical and economic access to food. For more information see internet: http://www.fao.org/UNFAO/Bodies/cfs/cfs32/index_en.htm.
WTO
An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/meets.pdf. Please bear in mind that dates and times of WTO meetings are often changed, and that the WTO does not always announce the important informal meetings of the different bodies. Unless otherwise indicated, all WTO meetings are held at the WTO, Centre William Rappard, rue de Lausanne 154, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, and are open to WTO Members and accredited observers only.
26 October 2006: VIETNAM MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS (ACCESSION WORKING PARTY)
27 October 2006: TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY - EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY
Other Upcoming
6-7 November, Doha, Qatar: OECD POLICY DIALOGUE WITH NON-MEMBERS ON AID FOR TRADE: FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE. Organised by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The dialogue aims to share information on how to best support developing countries’ trade expansion as an engine of economic growth and poverty reduction, and to seek input on the OECD’s 2007/08 planned work on trade and development. Participants at this invitation-only gathering will include development and trade policy makers from both developing and developed countries, aid practitioners from the headquarters and field level, and African, Asian, and Latin American stakeholders from the private sector, academia and civil society. For more information, e-mail: doha2006@oecd.org; internet: http://www.oecd.org/document/50/0,2340,en_2649_201185_37232754_1_1_1_1,00.html.
6-7 November, Maputo, Mozambique: NATIONAL MEETING AND EXPERTS ROUNDTABLE ON TRADE IN SERVICES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Organised by the Economic Justice Coalition in collaboration with the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD). The findings of a Mozambique case study commissioned by ICTSD will be presented at the national meeting. The study, which focuses on Mozambique’s interests in ‘mode 4′ (temporary labour movement), tourism services, maritime transport and inland transport services, seeks to analyse the relevance of the services sector in advancing the sustainable development goals of Mozambique, as well as the opportunities and risks associated with liberalising trade in selected services sectors or modes of supply. The experts’ roundtable, which will be facilitated by an international expert in tourism services, will serve to discuss the main findings in tourism services, identify Mozambique’s goals in tourism services, and examine the possible options regarding the corollary regulatory reform and other flanking measures that may be needed to achieve these goals. This discussion will result in the preparation of a road map for implementation, which will constitute a practical tool for policy makers to take the next step and translate the domestic interests identified in each priority sector into specific domestic reform proposals. For more information, contact Heidi Ullrich; email: hullrich@ictsd.ch; internet: http://www.ictsd.org/issarea/services/roundtable/2006-11-06/2006-11-06_MNN_desc.htm.