Articles

Spurt of NAMA talks planned till mid-June

2 May, 2006
Martin Khor and Goh Chien Yen (TWN), Geneva, 28 April 2006
Negotiations on non-agricultural market access (NAMA) will intensify with almost continuous meetings from 1 May to 16 June.

FAO Expresses Concern Over Livestock Globalization

2 May, 2006
Carin Smaller
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has expressed concern over the globalization of livestock markets. The growth of international trade in livestock production can bring benefits to producers and consumers but can also be perilous for small producers in particular.

FAO Uncertain About Livestock Globalization

2 May, 2006
Carin Smaller
The advance toward global livestock markets is not coming without potential risks to livelihoods, human health and the environment, warns the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Recent Agriculture Papers

2 May, 2006
Carin Smaller
Links to several new papers on agriculture.

U.S. proposal on Special Products

2 May, 2006
Carin Smaller
Link to the U.S. proposal on Special Products (SPs).

Major differences over special products, special safeguard

2 May, 2006
Martin Khor (TWN), Geneva, 30 April 2006
Major differences on the issues of Special Products (SPs) and the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) were evident at the negotiations on agriculture at the WTO on 26-28 April.

April wheat stocks at twice the buffer norms

1 May, 2006
Ashok B. Sharma
The government decision to import 3.5 million tonne wheat for maintaining the buffer stock may soon prove to have been needlessly hasty as the stock in the central pool is already more than double the norm set for April.

Quick Analysis of US Proposal on SSM

1 May, 2006
Tahir Hasnain, Executive Director, EIJIAID Economic Justice and Development Organization
A quick critique on recent US proposal on SSM developed by ActionAid in the light of their recent research project on import surges; also attached is US proposal in this regard.

Wheat imports: sacrificing farmers for WTO

30 April, 2006
Ashok B. Sharma
India is unilaterally opening up its doors for imports of wheat at a time when the issues of special products (SPs), special safeguard mechanism (SSM), farm tariffs and bound rates and the role of state trading enterprises are not yet settled in the WTO.

US proposal would make SSM useless for developing countries

27 April, 2006
Martin Khor (TWN), Geneva, 26 April 2006
The United States has submitted its position on a Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) in the WTO agriculture negotiations that would provide only a very limited use by developing countries of what they consider to be a crucial mechanism to safeguard against adverse effects of liberalization of their agricultural imports.

G-33 Letter to Pascal Lamy and Press Statement

27 April, 2006
Carin Smaller
Links to a G-33 Letter to the Chair of the TNC, Pascal Lamy, as well as a Press Statement. Apologies if you have already received this.

New NAMA Report from Chair including Posible Modalities

26 April, 2006
Carin Smaller
Link to the latest progress report from the chair of the NAMA negotiations, Ambassador Stephenson, which includes possible language for modalities.

EU and US rapped over trade talks

26 April, 2006
Dave Timms, Senior Press Officer, World Development Movement
The EU's tough negotiating stance could derail talks aimed at liberalising world trade, a group of MPs has warned.

Dumping of EU Meat / Dumping total de la viande de l'UE

26 April, 2006
Carin Smaller
Link to a new paper from Jacques Berthelot calculating the extent of EU dumping of meat.

Oxfam withdraws backing for trade deal talks

26 April, 2006
Philip Thornton, Economics Correspondent
Oxfam has abandoned its support for the current talks on a new trade deal, saying Europe and the US have failed to live up to their promises to use trade to cut poverty in the world's poorest countries.

WTO agriculture talks on export competition issues

25 April, 2006
Martin Khor (TWN), Geneva, 20 April 2006
The WTO's agriculture negotiations this week have focused so far on issues relating to the export competition pillar, specifically on food aid, state trading enterprises and export credits.

WTO meeting confirms missed deadlines, no Ministerial

25 April, 2006
Martin Khor (TWN), Geneva, 24 April 2006
The World Trade Organisation Monday finally made the conclusion that the deadlines for reaching 'modalities' for agriculture and non-agricultural market access by the end of this month could not be met, and that a planned meeting of some 30 Ministers would be called off.

EU, Japan propose new WTO treaties to prevent export taxes, restrictions

25 April, 2006
Goh Chien Yen (TWN), Geneva, 24 April 2006
In a move that has upset many developing countries, the European Union and Japan have recently proposed new treaties in the WTO to prevent or restrict the use by WTO members of export taxes and export restrictions.

Country tables on NAMA

25 April, 2006
Carin Smaller
The four new simulation exercises by Esther Busser from the ICFTU on India, Indonesia, Philippines and Mexico.

South Cone Metalworkers Unions on NAMA

24 April, 2006
Carin Smaller
Link for the English translation of the statement circulated in Spanish.