The Doha Round, Undead
The National Journal, April 19, 2008

What if negotiators conclude a major trade agreement even though no one expects them to? Will Congress believe it is meaningful? This is the dilemma facing the Bush administration and the World Trade Organization. At a time when many in Washington have lost hope that the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations will conclude successfully, a breakthrough in the six-year-old talks now seems distinctly possible, maybe even imminent. <<More>>

Lamy signals start of "horizontal process" in negotiations
WTO News, April 17, 2008

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, on 17 April 2008, said at an informal meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee that "time is coming soon to take our work to a higher level and to begin drawing together the threads both within and across the two modalities issues (agriculture and  industrial tariffs) as mandated in Hong Kong". He said the "horizontal process will start at Senior Official level, in order to prepare properly for the Ministerial involvement which is likely to be needed at a later stage". <<More>>

EU: Trade deals should encourage more food output
The Associated Press, April 17, 2008

In a speech to the European Paliament's trade committee, Peter Mandelson said that rising world prices for food must be tackled with trade deals that encourage developing nations, particularly in Africa, to boost food output. The EU Trade Commissioner urged the world's agricultural producers to shy away from export restrictions or bans that would not help deal with the longer term structural trend of population growth. <<More>>

Chair believes Non-agriculture Negotiating Group is now ready for real negotiation
WTO News, April 16, 2008

Don Stephenson, the Chairman of the Negotiating Group on Market Access for Non-Agricultural products (NAMA), said at a meeting of WTO members on 14 April that "people are getting ready for a real negotiation" after months of "positioning". <<More>>

Farm talks negotiators ask chair for more time
WTO News, April 15, 2008

WTO agriculture negotiators have asked their chairperson for at least a week more to build upon the progress they have been making in their recent consultations on sensitive products, tropical products and long-standing preferences. At the end of a meeting that began on Tuesday 15 April 2008 and ended three days later, chairperson Crawford Falconer tentatively proposed 30 April as the date for hearing the results of their  consultations. <<More>>

UN Economic and Social Council focuses on current global challenges
Media-Newswire.com

In view of new global challenges such as the credit crisis, soaring commodity costs and global warming, the UN's Economic and Social Council focused on new strategies in the areas of trade and financing for development during its eleventh annual high-level meeting with the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). <<More>>

Latest G-33 Statement on Special Products and Special Safeguard Mechanisms

At a meeting of the Special Session of the WTO Committee on Agriculture, the G-33 Group acknowledges that unless positive efforts are made to narrow the existing gaps and the Members walk an extra mile to move towards possible convergence, the revision of the draft modalities would not be an easy task for you. It is as much the responsibility of the Members as it is yours, to make further efforts in moving the negotiations forward. <<More>>

Is the time ripe for a Doha deal?

The Geneva-based Trade Information Project of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy has prepared a comprehensive summary on the current status of the Doha Round of negotiations. It says, "Recent progress in the WTO's agriculture negotiations has spurred the Director-General, Pascal Lamy, to propose a date for a Ministerial Meeting in Geneva, starting 19th May. If the meeting goes ahead, it will be the first major meeting of Trade Ministers since the WTO's Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in December 2005. Since then, the Doha trade talks have suffered a series of setbacks as WTO members failed to bridge enormous divides over how far to liberalize trade in agricultural and manufactured goods, and services (including finance, telecommunications, energy, transportation, and more). ..."  <<More>>

WTO's Lamy "convinced" Doha trade deal achievable
Reuters, April 12, 2008

The head of the World Trade Organization said on Saturday he was "completely convinced" the Doha round of world trade talks can be successfully completed this year. "I am completely convinced that we have it within our means, politically and technically, to finish the Doha round this year," Pascal Lamy, the WTO's director-general, said in a statement to the IMF's International Monetary and Financial Committee, which is meeting in Washington. "To do so, the first step we need is for WTO member governments to agree at ministerial level by the end of May on the framework for cutting agricultural tariffs, agricultural subsidies and industrial tariffs," he said. <<More>>

Trade negotiators need to speed up -- WTO farm chair
Guardian, April 09, 2008

Negotiators need to work faster to make enough progress for ministers to come to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) next month to clinch an outline trade deal, the chairman of WTO farm talks said on Wednesday. New Zealand's WTO ambassador Crawford Falconer said he was encouraged by the way negotiators were belatedly getting to grips with the complex technical issues underlying farm trade. But much more remained to be done, he told reporters. "The problem now is that we're running out of time... They have to increase their rate of progress," Falconer said. <<More>>

US urges China, Brazil, India help WTO breakthrough
Guardian, April 09, 2008

A long-awaited breakthrough in world trade talks is possible in the next two months if advanced developing countries like China, India and Brazil are willing to open their markets to more foreign goods, the top U.S trade official said on Wednesday. "We are once again going to take a run at getting this elusive breakthrough," U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab told a House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee, noting that the talks have faltered many times since they were launched more than six years ago in Doha, Qatar. "The challenge in this negotiation is ensuring that the emerging markets, the advanced developing countries -- China, Brazil, India, others -- contribute to this market-opening at a level that is commensurate with their level of development," Schwab said. <<More>>

A New Paper on Special Products

On 8th April 2008, a new paper on "special products" was circulated by the Special Session on WTO Committee on Agriculture. This was circulated at the request of Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Malaysia, New Zealand, Paraguay, Thailand, United States and Uruguay. The Special Products paper proposes 8 percent tariff lines, 4 percent to take a 25 percent cut, 4 percent to take a 15 percent cut and the possibility of having some tariff lines exempt from any tariff cut. <<More>>

WTO head calls for Doha round
business.iafrica.com, April 08, 2008

Negotiators have made progress towards a global trade liberalisation accord under the Doha round and a meeting of world trade ministers could now be held in May, the head of the WTO said on Tuesday. "I will only take a decision to bring the ministers together if I have the feeling there is a reasonable chance of reaching an agreement, and for the moment it is possible that this could happen in May," World Trade Organisation Director General Pascal Lamy told a press conference here. <<More>>

New WTO Agriculture Text Falls Short – Again
Common Dreams, April 08, 2008

New draft agricultural trade rules released at the World Trade Organization (WTO) today fail to repair a deeply flawed negotiating agenda, according to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). This latest attempt to save the Doha Round adds nothing new except more loopholes and exemptions to an already complicated text. “WTO negotiators continue to pursue a Doha Agenda that is unpopular all over the world,” said Carin Smaller, director of IATP’s Geneva Office. “This latest text is not going to reignite passion for a WTO deal. It is time to build a new set of trade rules that are practical and that enable governments to build strong, sustainable food and agriculture systems.” <<More>>

Nigeria decries non transparency of WTO
Nigerian Tribune, April 08, 2008

The Federal Government has decried the non transparency of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as it faulted the numerous trades inhibiting bureaucracy. Minister of Commerce and Industry, Engr. Charles C Ugwu, said this on Monday while declaring open a workshop on the WTO Trade facilitation, national self assessment, Nigeria’s needs and priorities in Abuja. He said Nigeria shared the concerns on lack of internal transparency and the non participation of developing countries in decision making process in the WTO. <<More>>

Japan keeps up pressure on US in WTO dumping case
Guardian, April 08, 2008

Japan kept up pressure on the United States on Tuesday over a controversial method used by Washington to deal with unfairly priced imports. Japan is asking a World Trade Organisation panel to rule on whether the United States has complied with previous rulings in a dumping case, according to the agenda for the next meeting of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body on April 18, issued on Tuesday. <<More>>

WTO's Lamy: might hold ministerial meeting in May
Reuters India, April 08, 2008

World Trade Organisation chief Pascal Lamy said on Tuesday he might call a meeting of trade ministers in May to seek a broad deal on global trade talks. "It is possible that this could happen in May. All the material is already on the table. It just remains for us to find a final compromise," he told reporters at a breakfast briefing in Paris. <<More>>

EU loses battle in WTO "banana wars"
Reuters UK, April 07, 2008

The European Union is still breaking international trade rules with its import regime for bananas, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said on Monday. The ruling by a WTO panel, confirming a preliminary judgement made last November, shows that EU regulations are blocking access to the world's biggest banana market for fruit from Ecuador despite attempts by Brussels to reform them. If upheld, the ruling would allow Ecuador to seek sanctions against the EU. <<More>>

Rising prices may change India's stand at WTO
The Financial Express, April 07, 2008

In view of the rising global food prices and the government resorting to drastic cuts in tariffs on many agricultural commodities, India's negotiating position at the agricultural talks of the Doha Round may be weakened. The earlier scenario in which developing countries accused the developed world for depressing global prices through heavy subsidies and thereby minimising the gains of producers in developing countries has been changed. The reports of several UN agencies have identified bio-fuel programmes in Europe and in the US as major cause for the rise in global food prices, having caused many farmers to cultivate crops for producing fuel rather than food. <<More>>

‘India’s position in WTO talks may undergo change with rising ...
Financial Express, April 07, 2008

In the backdrop of the rising global prices and the government resorting to drastic cuts in tariffs on many agricultural commodities, India’s negotiating position at the farm talks in the WTO may be weakened. The recent rise in global prices has completely changed the earlier scenario where the developing countries accused the developed world for depressing global prices through heavy subsidies and thereby minimizing the gains of Third World producers. <<More>>

Push for WTO deal likely from May 19 - diplomats
Guardian, April 05, 2008

Ministers from trade powers are likely to meet in the week of May 19 for their long-awaited push for a breakthrough in global trade talks, European diplomats said on Saturday. "It's not yet been agreed but the idea is for technical-level talks in Geneva the week of May 12 followed by a ministerial meeting in the week of May 19," one of the diplomats told Reuters. <<More>>

World leaders urge revival of WTO talks
SABC News, April 05, 2008

The revival of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks has become the major issue of discussion at the Progressive Governance Summit. World leaders have gathered at the British resort of Herdfordshire in London to debate issues facing progressive governments across the world. <<More>>

US Business Lobbyists Launch WTO Offensive
Insurance Journal, April 04, 2008

Business lobbyists from the United States will descend on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva next week to push for favorable terms in a new trade deal, a source familiar with the visits said on Friday. The visits by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the American Business Coalition for Doha (ABCDoha) and the Coalition of Services Industries (CSI) are a sign that the long-running Doha round is approaching its moment of truth. <<More>>

Russia political hiatus behind WTO delays-diplomat
Guardian, April 04, 2008

Political paralysis as Russian ministers wait for their new president to take over has dashed hopes of a quick deal with the EU on Russian entry to the World Trade Organisation, a senior Western diplomat said. Negotiators from Moscow and Brussels have held an intensive round of meetings and phone calls to try to reach an agreement and remove one of the biggest obstacles to Russia's WTO entry. Russia is the last major economy outside the WTO. <<More>>

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