Archive - Apr 2007 - Article

Date

April 26th

Pakistan’s SP paper causes stir as WTO agriculture talks resume

25 April, 2007
The agriculture meeting this Wednesday at the WTO is expected by many diplomats to be eventful as it will be on the eve of the issuing of a 'provocative' paper by the Chair of the agriculture negotiations.

Developing countries differ at WTO farm talks

25 April, 2007
Differences emerged between developing countries on Wednesday over a key issue in World Trade Organisation (WTO) farm talks, a crucial part of struggling global free trade negotiations.

April 25th

Groups urge US Congress to refuse new Fast Track authority

24 April, 2007
More than 240 national and international groups representing religious, civil rights, environmental, farm, health, development and labour interests have come out in opposition to the grant of any new Fast Track trade authority for the WTO negotiations by the US Congress, and urged Congress to resist pressure by US corporate giants and other WTO proponents to renew this authority.

April 24th

Brussels tells WTO it will raise sanctions on U.S. products

23 April, 2007
The European Union informed the World Trade Organization on Tuesday that it will raise retaliatory sanctions against U.S. products because Washington continues to distribute anti-dumping funds to its companies in violation of international commerce rules.

Agriculture Chair to prepare "challenge" paper at end of week

23 April, 2007
The chair of the WTO’s Doha agriculture negotiations, Ambassador Crawford Falconer of New Zealand, said Friday that he would be preparing a provocative "challenge" paper at the end of next week that would be a precursor to a revised draft of an agriculture text.

Doha talks to "return" to WTO's multilateral forum

23 April, 2007
WTO members agreed on Friday 20 April to turn to multilateral negotiations at the WTO itself in Geneva as the central method to try and achieve a breakthrough in the organisation's troubled Doha talks.

April 19th

Farmers, CSOs reject accord

18 April, 2007
Over 100 farmers and civil society organisations on Wednesday signed a memorandum rejecting the potential agreement by the Cairns Group and termed it anti-farmer and anti-Pakistan.

April 18th

Pakistan’s attempt at compromise on Special Products raises ire of fellow G-33 members

17 April, 2007
In a stated attempt to 'narrow the gaps' on one of the most contentious issues in the troubled Doha Round agriculture negotiations, Pakistan on 10 April issued a new paper seeking to split the differences between developing countries eager to shield some 'special products' from the full force of tariff cuts and the agricultural exporters that fear diminished commercial opportunities.

Despondent mood at WTO as G4 process seems to reach dead-end

17 April, 2007
The mood of despondency is increasing among WTO members as the possibility that the Doha negotiations cannot make headway this year looms larger.

As a WTO deadline expires, new deadlines are bandied around

17 April, 2007
On 1 April, the deadline for American President George W Bush to inform the US Congress of his intention to sign trade agreements under his present fast-track authority expired. He was unable to send any such intention regarding the World Trade Organisation's Doha negotiations.