WTO issues panel
reports on shrimp disputes
WTO News, February 29, 2008
The WTO has issued
panel reports on complaints by Thailand
and India against the US. While India had
requested consultations on the Amended
Bond Directive and the enhanced bond
requirement imposed by the US on imports
of frozen warmwater shrimp, Thailand's
case concerned anti-dumping measures on
imports of frozen warmwater shrimp. In
both cases, the panel supported the
complaints and recommended the US to bring
the measure concerned in conformity with
obligations under the Anti-Dumping
Agreement and the GATT.
<<More>>
Proposed tariff
cuts feared to destroy industrial
development
Inter Press Service,
February 29, 2008
The Doha Round negotiations on industrial
products have come under heavy criticism
again, with developing countries like
South Africa stating that the proposed
tariffs cuts would mean the end of their
industrial development. Most developing
countries are upset about the latest draft
of the text on the so-called
non-agriculture market access (NAMA),
which has not changed significantly from
the earlier text of 2007. Brazil has
complained bitterly about the double
standards of the US, the EU and other
developed countries, who are defensive in
agriculture, but extremely offensive in
NAMA.
<<More>>
Poor countries'
trade ministers meet over liberalisation
moves
Voanews, February 27, 2008
The trade ministers
from the world’s poor countries have come
together for a three-day meeting in
Lesotho to discuss moves to liberalise
trade. As poor and rich nations are stil
at odds over agricultural subsidies and
tariffs in the ongoing Doha Round of trade
negotiations, the meeting provides a
ground to formulate common goals and
strategies.
<<More>>
April talks on
Doha deal possible, says Germany
Reuters, February 21, 2008
A
breakthrough in the stalled Doha round of
World Trade Organisation trade talks could
be achieved as early as April, according
to German Deputy Economy Minister Bernd
Pfaffenbach. He stressed that the US
administration was particularly keen to
achieve a breakthrough on the talks while
it was still in office.While Europe also
wanted to reach a deal, it would not be
prepared to compromise at any price. An
agreement would vitally depend on further
concessions made on reducing industrial
tariffs and removing barriers to service
sector firms.
<<More>>
Doha trade
talks struggle to avoid deadlock
Reuters, February 20, 2008
Despite
widespread determination to reach a new
trade deal this year, negotiations on the
Doha round have almost reached a halt.
Frustration among diplomats increased, as
three meetings held on the crucial
agriculture text this week have produced
virtually no further movement.. Faizel
Ismail, head of South Africa's WTO
delegation, stressed that the current
situation did not look good. While
developing countries were ready to make a
contribution, they'd also have to present
balanced results to their constituents.
<<More>>
Unofficial
guide to the 8 February 2008 ‘revised
draft modalities’
WTO News, February 19, 2008
The main
purpose of this note is to walk you
through the revised draft text circulated
by Ambassador Crawford Falconer,
Chairperson of the agriculture
negotiations, on 8 February 2008. It
summarizes the main points of the text and
indicates where changes have been made
compared with the previous draft
circulated in July 2007.
<<More>>
Brazil and India call
for an end of rich countries' farm subsidies
www.chinaview.cn, February 19, 2008
The foreign ministers of
India and Brazil have called on developed
nations to end their trade distorting farm
subsidies and open their agricultural
markets to free competition. They pointed
out that the current difficulties in the
world economy have made a successful
conclusion of the Doha Round of world trade
talks even more urgent.
<<More>>
France
says 20 EU members reject WTO proposals on
global trade
The Canadian Press, February 18,
2008
According to the
French government, 20 European countries have
rejected the latest World Trade Organization
proposals for a global trade deal, stating
that they would be too damaging to European
farming. During a recent meeting of the EU's
27 farm ministers in Brussels, the latest
proposals were described as unacceptable and
even more unbalanced than previous drafts. The
EU ministers' reaction highlighted the divide
between the WTO's rich and poor nations, which
have so far failed to resolve any of their
biggest differences.
<<More>>
First
reactions to the new draft on Doha Round
agricultural modalities
February 15, 2008
G-20: Preserving
the ambition of the mandate and the need for
Special and Differential Treatment remains
crucial, particularly with regards to market
access and its relation to the NAMA text. The
group welcomes the progress made on domestic
support and the inclusion of the Cotton-4
demands. However, the issue of tariff capping
remains to be included, clarity regarding
flexibilities on sensitive products for
developed countries created and the monitoring
and surveillance aspects further specified.
<<More>>
G-33: An
overall more balanced text needs to be
drafted. Elements of great concern include
zero cut treatment of Special Products (SPs)
which should be a must rather than an option.
The group supports a flexible solution for
Small and Vulnerable Economies. No major
outcomes have been achieved yet concerning
market access or domestic support. Likewise,
the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) is
viewed as inadequate and simply unacceptable.
<<More>>
LDCs: The
methodology proposed for domestic support is
welcomed, while stressing the importance of
measures related to cotton with regards to its
importance for African producers. Progress has
been made in the export competition pillar,
but the Duty Free Quota Free Market Access
needs to be further clarified. The group urges
the issue of food aid to be needs-based and
demand-driven.
<<More>>
ACP Group:
On tariff reductions, the draft language does
not reflect the substance of understanding
reached earlier. The proposals on longstanding
preferences and targeted technical assistance
are welcomed, yet the proposed overlapping
between tropical products and
preference-receiving products is an issue of
deep concern.
<<More>>
Cairns Group:
More clarity on the aspect of market
access is needed, as the range of ambition is
still wide apart in a number of areas. Further
work is required on the issue of sensitive
products. Further, the issue of tariff
escalation has to be addressed comprehensively
and a tariff cap must be reinstated. Regarding
Overall Trade Distorting Support, subsidisers
must do more to ensure effective cuts.
<<More>>
EU
critical of new WTO negotiating drafts
The Economic Times, February 15, 2008
The European
Commission has expressed the need for a better
balance to the latest Doha Round negotiating
texts from the World Trade Organisation. The
Commission's trade office stated that all
parts of the negotiation, including industrial
goods, agriculture and services must move
forward at the same speed.It is deemed
absolutely crucial that the negotiations move
forward rapidly and in a way that reflects the
mainstream views of the WTO membership.
<<More>>
US expected to
lose WTO fight over cotton subsidies
The International herald Tribune, February 14,
2008
The American
cotton industry is expected to lose its long
struggle against cuts in special subsidies.
After six years of querulous talks in the
so-called Doha round, one of the few points of
agreement has been the need for substantial
reductions in U.S. cotton subsidies, which
drive down prices on global markets and deepen
poverty for the world's poorest farmers.
However, agricultural experts don't expect the
Bush administration negotiators to broker
those cuts until the last minute, as it is an
obvious political loser on the domestic level.
<<More>>
India
welcomes new WTO draft with caution
The Financial Express, February
14, 2008
Indian Trade
Minister Kamal Nath has welcomed the revised
drafts for agriculture and non agriculture
market access (NAMA), issued by mediators of
the World Trade Organisation (WTO) last week.
Nath said the new negotiating texts could
enable regional powers to push forward global
trade talks in the coming weeks. However, a
lot of hard work still lies ahead as the new
texts don't contain any changes to existing
proposals for headline cuts in tariffs and
subsidies, a matter of vital importance for
developing countries.
<<More>>
No
clear timeline to conclude negotiations on
services
February 12, 2008
The latest
chairman's report to reach an agreement in the
Doha Round negotiations on trade in services
reflects that considerable divergence on a
number of issues still persists. Key elements
of disagreement include the level of
liberalisation in services, the elimination of
adverse effects regarding market access and
national treatment, and the overall balance of
the rights and obligations under the
agreement. Although convergence in some areas
could be reached, the report fails to provide
a timeline to conclude the GATS negotiations.
<<More>>
Draft
blueprints issued for final Doha round deal
on agricultural and non-agricultural trade
WTO News, February 08, 2008
The chairpersons
of the Doha round agriculture and
non-agricultural market access (NAMA)
negotiations have circulated their latest
draft modalities. The documents are based on
WTO member governments' positions in the
discussions since September and kick off
another intensive series of meetings. The
drafts provide a basis to negotiate an
acceptable balance between the depths of
cuts in agricultural and non-agricultural
tariffs and agricultural subsidies as well
as the size of cuts desired in each area.
<<More>>
Indian Commerce minister skeptical about
Doha agreement
Press Information Bureau,
February 07, 2008
Shri Kamal Nath,
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, has
stated that the Doha Round negotiations are
currently poised at a critical stage. While
considerable progress has been made in the
field of agriculture, certain key issues
like the cuts in overall trade distorting
domestic support, tariff simplification and
preference erosion are yet to be resolved.
The trade distorting measures resorted to by
the developed countries have an impact on
global agricultural prices, affecting the
livelihoods of millions of farmers in the
developing world.
<<More>>
Doha deal
gives only modest gains to India
Reuters, February 05, 2008
According to a
recent study by the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace, India's output would grow
by only an additional 0.5% under a successful
Doha round deal. However, this modest growth
would be better than any potential gains from
the most favourable bilateral trade agreements
under consideration. Economic simulations by
the U.S. think-tank suggest that a deal would
boost domestic production in India by only
$4.5 billion, or 0.52%. Exports would increase
by $2.4 billion or 3.8%, with the strongest
gains in apparel, textiles, leather and
footwear. Imports would rise by $2.2 billion
or 2.9%.
<<More>>
White House in
stand-off over farm subsidies bill
The Financial Times,
February 04, 2008
The U.S. government is
facing a stand-off with Congress over the farm
subsidies bill for the next five years.
President George W. Bush has threatened to
veto the bill unless provisions that might
amount to tax rises are taken out, and a cap
on subsidies given to richer farmers is
lowered. The proposed legislation will
ultimately increase subsidy limits from their
current levels and runs counter to the drive
to cut farm support in the Doha round of
global trade talks.
<<More>>
Don’t push
for premature deal, India tells WTO
The Economic
Times, February 04, 2008
India has
cautioned the World Trade Organisation to
refrain from concluding a deal in the
ongoing Doha round of trade talks which
would only cover selected issues. Government
officials stated that any agreement in
agriculture and industrial goods would have
to go hand in hand with a deal in the
services sector and on rules. While the
EU and WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy are
keen on holding a ministerial meeting next
month despite the fact that there has been
little progress in the area of services, a
partial agreement excluding important areas
of interest for developing countries would
be unacceptable to India.
<<More>>
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