Articles

WHO Working Group on IPRs and Health holds first meeting

Original Publication Date: 
6 December, 2006
Source: 
Sangeeta Shashikant, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Dec06/05)
The World Health Organization's Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (IGWG) began its first session on Monday where procedural issues dominated much of the discussions.

NAMA Talks to Resume, despite the lack of movement

Original Publication Date: 
4 December, 2006
Source: 
By Goh Chien Yen, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
The Negotiating Group on Non- Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) met on 1 December, for the first time

[KoA Newsletter#4] The "Mass People's Resistance against KorUS FTA" Continued

Original Publication Date: 
3 December, 2006
Source: 
Korean Alliance against KorUS FTA
Police attack and repression on workers and farmers are intensified after the first 'Mass People's Resistance against KorUS FTA' on 22nd of November.

Make changes in Seed Bill, urge farmers?

Original Publication Date: 
3 December, 2006
Source: 
Ashok B Sharma, Financial Express
NEW DELHI, DEC 3:

“Tadeco engaged in pesticide poisoning cover-up!”-KMP

Original Publication Date: 
2 December, 2006
Source: 
KMP/APC
“The Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc.or Tadeco is definitely trying to hide something and seems to be doing earnest efforts to cover up the pesticide poisoning incident which downed at least 79 people,”

“Davao pesticide poisoning to expand and increase with JPEPA!”-KMP and APC

Original Publication Date: 
30 November, 2006
Source: 
KMP, APC
The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) lambasted the Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc. (Tadeco) in Mindano, Philippines for causing the pesticide poisoning of at least 79 people, mostly school children at that, from Tanglaw Elementary school in Braulio Dujali town in Davao del Norte.

Developing countries voice opposition to ?necessity test? in GATS

Original Publication Date: 
30 November, 2006
Source: 
By Riaz K Tayob, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
At an UNCTAD expert meeting on universal access to services held last week, the diplomats of several developing countries voiced opposition to the inclusion of the 'necessity test' principle in disciplines being negotiated for domestic regulation in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) of the WTO.

Problems in providing universal access to services highlighted at UNCTAD meeting

Original Publication Date: 
30 November, 2006
Source: 
By Riaz K Tayob, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
Developing countries face challenges and problems in providing universal access to services to their people, and these were brought up in an expert meeting on "Universal Access to Services" organised by UNCTAD last week.

Anti-FTA protesters defy police ban

Original Publication Date: 
29 November, 2006
Source: 
By Shin Hae-in, The Korea Herald
Thousands of farmers and workers yesterday clashed with riot police across the country in the second massive demonstration in a week against a free trade deal with the United States.

Warnings raised over GE rice imports

Original Publication Date: 
27 November, 2006
Source: 
www.inq7.net
A VARIETY of genetically engineered (GE) rice yet to be approved for human consumption throughout the world except in the United States has found its way into the Philippine market, the activist environment group Greenpeace said Tuesday.

KCTU General Strike Newsletter # 3

Original Publication Date: 
27 November, 2006
Source: 
KCTU
More than 200,000 KCTU Members Participated in the full-fledged General Strike on November 22 Over 170,000 people in 13 cities gathered to protest against the KOR-US FTA on the same day

A Services Fire-Side Chat

Original Publication Date: 
27 November, 2006
Source: 
Washington Trade Daily
A fire-side chat yesterday with a score of Doha Development Agenda services negotiators failed to bring convergence on setting new time-lines for submitting revised offers as key members remain divided over how different elements within the services mandate ought to proceed at this juncture

Attacking China on Services

Original Publication Date: 
27 November, 2006
Source: 
Washington Trade Daily
Industrialized countries - led by the United States, the European Union, Canada and Japan - yesterday attacked China in the World Trade Organization for not complying with its accession commitments in the areas of financial services

Furor Over JPEPA: Will Davao’s Banana Workers Benefit From It?

Original Publication Date: 
24 November, 2006
Source: 
Davaotoday
On paper, it

Prosecution warns of crackdown on violent anti-FTA protests

Original Publication Date: 
22 November, 2006
Source: 
Yonhap
South Korea

Americans Protest U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement in Seoul

Original Publication Date: 
21 November, 2006
Source: 
International Action Center
An American delegation of peace, labor and social justice activists led by Cindy Sheehan is in Seoul to join the nationwide mobilization against the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement currently being negotiated.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Launches a General Strike

Original Publication Date: 
20 November, 2006
Source: 
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
Full-pledged General Strike Being Launched from November 22 in Korea.

Sacu-US to pursue scaled-back trade talks after FTA process ceases

Original Publication Date: 
20 November, 2006
Source: 
Engineering News
The South African Customs Unions (Sacu) has formally accepted an offer made by the US government to progress a so-called trade and investment cooperation agreement (Tica), following the breakdown of the more ambitious free-trade agreement (FTA) talks earlier in the year.

South Korean police brace for mass protests against US free trade deal

Original Publication Date: 
19 November, 2006
Source: 
AFP
South Korean police said Tuesday they are bracing for mass protests across the country against a proposed free trade agreement with the United States.

Pursuing a Services Re-start

Original Publication Date: 
19 November, 2006
Source: 
Washington Trade Daily
Washington and Brussels on Friday jointly reached out to a score of developing countries - including Brazil, South Africa, Thailand and Kenya, among others - to accelerate the Doha Development Agenda services negotiations, saying the time has come to enter into hard bargaining on what each can give and take in both market openings and rules.