WTO talks may not conclude in 2008
The Times of India May 31, 2008

Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said he is disappointed that the World Trade Organisation talks are being held up and raised reservations about completing the Doha Round of negotiations by the end of the year. Nath wondered whether the officials were actually serious about holding horizontal meetings or they were just succumbing to pressure from one major country, thereby jeopardising the efforts to conclude the Doha round by December 2008. <<More>>

Decision on SPS transparency confirmed
WTO News, May 30, 2008

Revised recommendations agreed by WTO members in April on improving the information they share with each other on food safety and animal and plant health have been confirmed because no objections were raised within the 30 May 2008 deadline. The revised recommendations deal with how governments provide information on new or proposed measures they adopt on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures. They were approved in the WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Committee's 2-3 April 2008 meeting, provided no country objected by the end of May. (Officially, the committee adopted the guidelines "ad referendum".) <<More>>

WTO chief raps U.S., EU on Doha Round trade talks
Xinhuanet, May 30, 2008

The chief of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Thursday criticized a new U.S. farm bill, saying it sent a wrong signal to the Doha Round trade talks, while urging the European Union (EU) to show more flexibility. "I was quite transparent in saying that this farm bill is not sending a great signal that the U.S. are serious about reducing their trade-distorting subsidies," WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy told a European Parliament committee after meeting visiting U.S. lawmakers in Brussels. The U.S. Congress last week passed a bill that increases subsidies for farmers and food stamps for the poor amid rising food prices, which analysts said signals that a reduction in U.S. farm subsidies will be difficult to achieve. <<More>>

Lamy underscores major stake of EU in the Round's conclusion
WTO News, May 29, 2008

WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, on 29 May 2008, told the Committee of International Trade of the European Parliament in Brussels that the world, and in particular the European Union, has a major stake in the conclusion of the Doha Round. The solution in the current situation in the world does not lie in protectionism, but partly in the WTO, which “you have helped build, and which you need as it needs you”. He expressed the hope that a ministerial gathering could be held at the end of June to finalize modalities in agriculture and industrial goods. <<More>>

Diplomats see reason for hope in WTO talks
Iht, May 29, 2008

A torrent of anger and disappointment from governments, business lobbies and farmers followed recent new proposals from the World Trade Organization for a deal that would end long-running trade talks. But seasoned diplomats cautioned that the rhetoric should be taken with a pinch of salt. They said the revised texts had helped put WTO's Doha round of negotiations within sight of an agreement. "The more pleased you are, the less pleased you must sound," said one diplomat from a major developed country. <<More>>

India rejects Rules Proposals in WTO
Business Standard, May 29, 2008

India has expressed disappointment at the latest document by World trade Organisation (WTO) on rules pertaining to issues like anti-dumping and fishing subsidies. The latest rejection of yet another WTO text comes in the back drop of similar reaction by the country towards the agriculture and non-agricultural market access texts released earlier this month. "Despite the near unanimity of the entire WTO membership to have a revised text on Rules before moving into a horizontal process on agriculture and National Agri- Marketing Association (NAMA) modalities, we are deeply disappointed to note that one major developed country has again succeeded in holding up the process because of its desire to protect its WTO inconsistent measure of zeroing  in anti-dumping," Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said in a statement today. <<More>>

US takes on 'advanced developing countries' on Doha talks
The Economic Times, May 29, 2008

Accusing a handful of advanced developing countries of masking their narrow interests behind claims for speaking for the rest of the developing world, the US said it is concerned the way trade negotiations are moving ahead of crucial talks for concluding the Doha round. US Trade Representative Susan Schwab stressed that recent developments have moved the negotiations towards a less balanced outcome than Washington can support. <<More>>

Chair issues working document on rules
WTO News, May 28, 2008

The Chair of the Negotiating Group on Rules on 28 May 2008 issued a working document regarding negotiations on rules. The document, which takes the form of a cover note and three annexes relating to anti-dumping, horizontal subsidies and fisheries subsidies, seeks to convey in detail the full spectrum and intensity of the reactions to the Chair's first draft texts and, to the extent possible, to identify the many suggested changes put forward by delegations.<<More>>

US, Japan launch WTO case against EU tariffs on technology goods UPDATE
Thomson Financial News, May 28, 2008

The Bush administration today launched a World Trade Organization dispute settlement case against the European Union, arguing that the EU's high import tariffs on computer monitors, printers and other goods violate the EU's commitment to avoid tariffs on these items. 'The EU should be working with the United States to promote new technologies, not finding protectionist gimmicks to apply new duties to these products,' US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said in a statement today. <<More>>

Global Coalition Calls WTO Service Proposals Disappointing
International News, May 28, 2008

A new set of proposals to open services such as banking and telecoms to more global trade falls significantly short of what is needed to reach a world trade deal, an international coalition of service industry groups said Tuesday. "At this point in the negotiations, a text is needed that provides political guidance on the level of ambition in the Doha round services negotiations," members of the Global Services Coalition said in a statement. "This version illustrates that members are still 'consulting' and demonstrates how little progress has been made in the services negotiations," the group said.<<More>>

EMF and ACEA urge EU oppose EU stance on WTO negotiations
Industry News, May 27, 2008

The European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) and the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) have joined forces in opposing the conditions for Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) proposed within the framework of the current WTO ‘Doha' Round. These conditions specified by the NAMA secretariat last week, risk undermining the competitiveness of the EU industries, putting pressure on production costs and employment, they said. "We fully reaffirm our support for multilateral trade agreements while insisting that trade liberalisation should be a strategy towards the growth and prosperity of developing, emerging and developed countries. This means that Europe should safeguard employment in manufacturing sectors with a high added value, such as the automotive industry, and ensure fair routes for exporting their products," said Peter Scherrer, General Secretary of EMF. <<More>>

How should India respond to WTO drafts
The Economic Times, May 27, 2008

 The two new drafts for negotiations in agriculture and industrial goods (Nama) issued by the WTO on May 19 this year is a mockery of the current