Food security: US, EU rule out permanent solution for public stock holding programmes

7 November, 2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for an outcome on public stockholding programmes for food security at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) ministerial meeting next month in Nairobi has almost been spiked after the US, the European Union, Canada and Australia ruled out any change from the existing interim arrangement.

The long arms of trade

4 November, 2015
As the countdown for the tenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Nairobi, Kenya through 15-18 December commences, Shalini Bhutani emphasises the need for a cautious deliberation on how trade rules affect key sectors and all stakeholders.

Away from the Glare, a Push for More Stringent IPR Protection at the WTO

2 November, 2015
The United States and Switzerland want the right to file complaints for loss of trade ‘benefits’ even against countries whose intellectual property rights laws are fully consistent with international agreements

‘Indian and African leaders must not fail to protect interests of locals at upcoming WTO meet'

28 October, 2015
In a join civil society statement Indian and African CSOs called upon Indian and African leaders not to fail to protect interests of locals at upcoming WTO meet.

Unconditional 17-year exemption from pharmaceuticals patents agreed

3 November, 2015
The United States and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at the World Trade Organization have reached agreement ad referendum on a pharmaceutical patent exemption for a duration of 17 years, according to trade diplomats. With this exemption, the world’s poorest nations will not be obliged “to implement or apply” or “to enforce” patents as well as test data protection for pharmaceutical products until 1 January 2033.

Envoys cry foul as US seeks to protect its farm export credits

2 November, 2015
The US has demanded ‘safe harbor’ protection for its controversial farm export credit programme from the disciplines underpinning the World Trade Organization’s agreement on subsidies and countervailing measures despite denying such a flexibility to India and other developing countries for public stockholding programmes for food security last year.

“Unconscionable and indefensible” – U.S. 10-year offer to LDCs for pharmaceutical patent waiver

21 October, 2015
The United States’ offer to least developed countries of a 10-year transition period to grant pharmaceutical patents is “unconscionable and indefensible”, according to six influential US non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In a letter dated 19 October to President Barack Obama, the NGOs conveyed this strong criticism in view of the public health and other developmental challenges facing least developed countries (LDCs).

Uruguay abandons TISA negotiations! A victory for PSI affiliates

8 September, 2015

With a statement on the President’s website and following political debate on the issue, President Tabaré Vázques announced on 7 September that Uruguay will leave the TISA negotiations.

Destruction of US credibility at WTO

10 September, 2015
Assessing US's position in WTO negotiations on permanent solution to the public stock-holding issue in food security, Timothy A. Wise and Biraj Patnaik argue that 'it is hypocritical of the US to give price support to its farmers while denying it to the world’s poorest farmers'.

Uruguay abandons TiSA

10 September, 2015
On 5 September 2015 a very large majority of the Frente Amplio, the governing political coalition in Uruguay voted against continuing to be part of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) negotiations taking place in Geneva. These plurilateral negotiations are taking part outside the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its General Agreement on Services (GATS) and have generated concerns over the adverse impacts of the type of services liberalization pushed for by developed countries led by the United States, the European Union and Australia.