Articles

Protest at US embassy as Malaysia-US FTA talks proceed

Original Publication Date: 
6 February, 2007
Source: 
Chee Yoke Heong
As Malaysia and the US engaged in another round of bilateral talks to finalise a free trade agreement (FTA), a group of citizens staged a peaceful protest outside the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

G33 defends position on SP and SSM

Original Publication Date: 
6 February, 2007
Source: 
By Goh Chien Yen, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Feb07/04)
A number of G33 ministers present at Davos had issued a statement on behalf of the grouping emphasizing that any convergence on Special Products (SPs) and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) must not 'subvert the development goals and aspirations of the vast bulk of small, poor and vulnerable producers of developing countries.'

NAMA Group concludes four days of consultations

Original Publication Date: 
6 February, 2007
Source: 
Kanaga Raja, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Feb07/03)
The WTO Negotiating Group on Market Access for Non-agricultural Products (NAMA) concluded on Thursday 25 January four days of consultations in different formats to advance the technical work in the negotiations. The consultations to advance technical work covered areas such as Ad Valorem Equivalents, Non-Tariff Barriers, Recently Acceded Members and sectorals.

G-20 Criticizes U.S. Farm Bill Proposal, Calls for Doha Agriculture Deal by Summer

Original Publication Date: 
6 February, 2007
Source: 
Daniel Pruzin, BNA
The Group of 20 developing country alliance has criticized the Bush administration's proposal for reforming U.S. farm subsidy programs, arguing that the changes would not lead to any real cuts in actual spending.

Globalization bigger threat than global warming in worsening food shortage

Original Publication Date: 
5 February, 2007
Source: 
IBON Foundation
Globalization, not global warming, is the bigger threat to the country

US FARM BILL 2007 - Setback for developing world as US will extend support to farmers?

Original Publication Date: 
4 February, 2007
Source: 
Ashok B Sharma, Financial Express
Consistent with the game being played by developed countries, the US has begun the process of shifting its subsidies under Amber and Blue boxes to Green box through its 2007 Farm Bill proposals.

A NAMA Caucus

Original Publication Date: 
31 January, 2007
Source: 
Washington Trade Daily
The chair of the Doha Development Agenda negotiations on nonagricultural market access Don Stephenson has created what he calls a NAMA caucus of some two dozen key World Trade Organization members to accelerate work on all core issues.

Thai Human Rights Commission attacks FTA with US

Original Publication Date: 
29 January, 2007
Source: 
By Sanya Smith, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
The free trade agreement that Thailand has been negotiating with the United States will violate the human rights of Thai people and affect the country's sovereignty; thus negotiations should not resume until a thorough review of its impact is undertaken.

Real progress needed on NTBs and sectorals, says NAMA Chair

Original Publication Date: 
29 January, 2007
Source: 
By Kanaga Raja, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
The Chair of the WTO Negotiating Group on Market Access for Non-agricultural Products (NAMA), in his first open-ended consultations of the new year, encouraged members to work harder on  the issues of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and ‘sectorals’.

Nath’s offer of room on special products irks farmers

Original Publication Date: 
28 January, 2007
Source: 
Ashok B Sharma, Financial Express
The issue of special safeguard mechanism (SSM) and special products (SPs) in agriculture has assumed importance in discussions for WTO talks resumption. This was after commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath

Demo Held against EU trade rules

Original Publication Date: 
24 January, 2007
Source: 
Nation Reporter
Thousands of demonstrators yesterday paralysed operations of the European Union office in Nairobi accusing the trading bloc of exploiting African Countries.

African Ministers want to explore "all alternatives" in EPA talks

Original Publication Date: 
23 January, 2007
Source: 
Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
African Trade Ministers at their recent meeting in Addis

Argentina, Brazil Join Canada’s WTO Complaint Against U.S. Corn Subsidies

Original Publication Date: 
22 January, 2007
Source: 
BRADLEY S. KLAPPER, Associated Press Writer
South American agricultural powers Argentina and Brazil have joined Canada in a complaint against the United States over what they claim are illegal government handouts to American corn growers, trade officials said Monday.

The EU approach to FTA talks with ASEAN, India, Korea

Original Publication Date: 
22 January, 2007
Source: 
Marc Maes, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
On 6 December 2006, the EU Commission announced that it had finalised three draft mandates for negotiating bilateral free trade agreements with ASEAN, Korea and India, together with two mandates for negotiations with Central America and the Andean Community.

US and EU near agriculture trade deal

Original Publication Date: 
20 January, 2007
Source: 
By Eoin Callan and Alan Beattie, Financial Times
Trade negotiators from the US and European Union are edging a deal that could restart stalled world trade talks, according to people familiar with the discussions.

WTO plans threaten sea life: Greenpeace

Original Publication Date: 
18 January, 2007
Source: 
By Daniel Wallis, Reuters
Pirates and licensed trawlers are pillaging the world's oceans, while proposals on the table for trade ministers meeting in Switzerland next week could prove the final blow to sea life, Greenpeace said on Friday.

Free trade means empty oceans: Greenpeace reveals evidence that trade liberalization could devastate fisheries

Original Publication Date: 
18 January, 2007
Source: 
Greenpeace International
The world

China says int’l (WTO) IP rules will apply in domestic trials

Original Publication Date: 
18 January, 2007
Source: 
Washington Trade Daily
International intellectual property rights laws will take precedence whenever they are applied in Chinese domestic trials even if they differ from domestic laws, a senior judicial figure told a national conference on IPR-related trials according to the China Daily newspaper

Water Privatization & Investment Disputes: The Case of Biwater v. Tanzania

Original Publication Date: 
17 January, 2007
Source: 
CIEL, LEAT
The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Lawyers

Committee: Rafidah skirting main FTA issues news report of our farmers coalition questioning our Minister of International Trade.

Original Publication Date: 
16 January, 2007
Source: 
Malaysiakini.com
International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz has not addressed the main concerns surrounding the US-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), claimed a regional grouping of fishermen and farmers today.