Archive - 2005

With only days left before the World Trade Organization holds its sixth ministerial meeting in Hong Kong, a new report claims that the agreements reached at these trade negotiations pose a threat to people and their environment around the world.

The U.S. Congress would probably reject a proposed deal by global trade ministers to give duty-free access to the world's poorest nations if the plan does not also open new markets for American farmers

The WTO's General Council agreed to show that there is no agreement on the controversial Annex on services in the draft Ministerial text to be sent to the WTO's Hong Kong Ministerial conference to beheld on 13-18 December.

The Appellate Body, on 5 December 2005, issued its Report regarding the compliance panel's rulings in the case 'United States

special bulletin on the WTO replaces the usual Summer newsletter of ARENA for this Summer 2005

Least developed country members as a group were granted extension of transitional period for 7.5 years to apply the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement. The extension is however subject to conditions that have been criticized by experts as severely constraining the benefits of the extension granted.

Two new reports jointly released today by the ICFTU and Solidar raise alarm bells over the planned further liberalisation of TCF and general manufacturing sectors by the WTO.

media release: The vegetables Filipinos consume may soon come only from Taiwan, mainland China, or the US rather than the Cordilleras or Ilocos as vegetable imports continue to push out local produce from the domestic market, according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation.

A range of developing countries voiced their concerns over the draftHong Kong Ministerial text at a meeting of the Trade NegotiationsCommittee

Papers on arguments by some for commencing sectoral negotiations in the GATS, and the objectives of these negotiations