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Moving Forward The 'Development Agenda' In WIPO
In response to a proposal put forward by Brazil and Argentina, the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) General Assembly (GA), taking place from 29 September to 5 October in Geneva, adopted a decision to move forward the discussions on a ‘development agenda’ in WIPO by initiating a series of inter-sessional meetings, which will report to…
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WTO Agriculture Session Addresses Next Steps From July Framework
Following on from an informal meeting on 24 September (BRIDGES Weekly, 29 September 2004), WTO Members convened on 6 October for an informal special (negotiating) session of the Committee on Agriculture. Discussions, chaired by Ambassador Tim Groser of New Zealand, focused mainly on how to carry the momentum forward from the recent July framework agreement…
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WTO Development Committee Focuses On Technical Assistance, Commodities, Sustainability
The WTO Committee on Trade and Development (CTD) met on 28-29 September to continue discussions on technical assistance for the upcoming year, declining commodity prices, and the operationalisation of Doha Declaration paragraph 51 on sustainable development. Chaired by Ambassador Trevor Clarke (Barbados), delegates also discussed the graduation of WTO Members from least-developed country (LDC) status.…
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WTO Members Brace For Textile Quota Liberalisation
WTO Member countries are preparing a variety of different initiatives intended to ease the impact of the phase-out of textile and clothing quotas at the end of this year. At a WTO Goods Council meeting on 1 October, seven countries submitted a proposal for WTO action to address…
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Japan's Fisheries Subsidies Position Under Fire At WTO Rules Meeting
The WTO Negotiating Group on Rules met from 28-30 September, where delegates focused on rules addressing anti-dumping, subsidies and countervailing measures. The ongoing negotiations on disciplining subsidies in the fisheries sector featured high on the agenda. Discussions focused mainly on a Japanese proposal on fisheries subsidies disciplines presented at the last meeting (see BRIDGES Weekly,…
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WTO Challenges Emerge Over EU Expansion
The enlargement of the European Union from 15 to 25 members on 1 May has been met with concern voiced by the US and other WTO Members relating to inconsistent customs administration across EU member states and higher tariffs on certain EU imports. Inconsistent customs administration complaints On 21 September,…
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EU-Mercosur Trade Deal On Ropes Over Lack Of Acceptable Offers
South American trade bloc Mercosur made an offer to the EU on 24 September in the hope of advancing stalled trade negotiations and completing a trade deal by the 31 October deadline. The EU submitted its ‘response’ offer on 29 September, but neither offer helped to progress trade negotiations, making a free trade agreement between…
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Officials Meet On Gats Mode 4, Migration
Representatives from the international trade and migration communities met in Geneva on 4-5 October for a conference organised jointly by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the World Bank (WB), and the WTO. The event, entitled "Managing the movement of people: what can be learned for Mode 4 of the WTO General Agreement on Trade…
- In Brief
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In Brief
RUSSIA’S KYOTO RATIFICATION REACHING HOME STRETCH? On 30 September, the Russian Cabinet approved a draft law aimed at the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, which would trigger the Protocol’s entry into force. For Russian ratification to proceed, the law has to be approved by the State Duma (the lower house of the Russian parliament, which…
- Resources
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Resources
THE CITES TREATY AND COMPLIANCE: PROGRESS OR JEOPARDY? By Rosalind Reeve (Sustainable Development Programme), September 2004. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between governments meant to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. This…