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Doha: Close, but Not Enough
For the third summer in a row, a push for breakthrough WTO accords on agriculture and manufacturing trade has ended in failure. The collapse of talks among trade ministers on 29 July makes it virtually impossible for governments to conclude a deal in the Doha Round of trade talks in the foreseeable future. The road ahead…
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Agricultural Safeguard Controversy Triggers Breakdown in Doha Round Talks
A seemingly technical agricultural safeguard clause led to the collapse of an end-July WTO mini-ministerial that was meant to establish a blueprint ‘modalities’ deal for the faltering Doha Round of trade talks. Given the progress achieved on more controversial questions, such as cuts in countries’ overall trade-distorting subsidies or top-level…
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Where Does TRIPS Go from Here?
Disagreement over intellectual property issues did not cause the collapse of July’s mini-ministerial summit at the WTO. Because the talks foundered for other reasons, we do not know what might have happened on the IP front had delegates successfully agreed package deals on liberalising trade in the agricultural and industrial sectors. Continuing strong disagreement on…
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Strong Signals Sent on Services
Surprising, encouraging, positive and constructive were among the terms used by participants after the half-day ‘signalling conference’ on services held during the Geneva mini-ministerial in July. The event marked the first time that services liberalisation had been discussed at the ministerial level since the launch of the Doha Round in 2001. Together with agriculture and industrial…
- Events
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Events
Coming up 7-13 August 7 August, Trondheim, Norway. THE SECOND GLOBAL FISHERIES ENFORCEMENT TRAINING WORKSHOP. This workshop will present traditional and innovative approaches on monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) and will be run prior to the Nor-Fishing trade show in Trondheim from the 12 to the 15 August. MCS practitioners will…
- Resources
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Resources
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE: BIOPIRACY OR BIOPROSPECTING? By Michael J. Krieger, June 2008. This working paper examines issues related to bioprospecting as addressed by the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, as well as the friction created…