Archive

April 20th, 2006

AU Conference calls for transparent WTO process

19 April, 2006
The African Union Trade Ministers' Conference, held in Nairobi on 12-14 April, adopted a Nairobi Ministerial Declaration on the Doha Work Programme, detailing Africa's position on the current WTO negotiations.

African Ministers warn against erosion of UNCTAD's mandate

19 April, 2006
African Trade Ministers have expressed their serious concern that some developed countries are making use of the process of reform of the United Nations to target the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in order to erode its mandate or even its institutional existence.

African Ministers reject 'partial modalities' approach to WTO April deadline

19 April, 2006
African Trade Ministers have declared that the WTO modalities on agriculture and non-agricultural market access (NAMA) that are scheduled to be concluded at the end of April must be 'all-inclusive' and indicated that they would not accept 'partial modalities' that leave out issues of concern to African countries.

EU blames US for Doha deadlock

19 April, 2006
Peter MandelsonPeter Mandelson, trade commissioner for the European Union, on Friday labels the US the biggest single block to the faltering Doha round of trade negotiations.

Lamy takes the reigns of the Doha Round: when will he make his mark?

19 April, 2006
The WTO Director-General, Pascal Lamy, made a bold statement at the 28th March meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC), in which he called on Trade Ministers to come to Geneva for the last week of April and early May to finalize modalities for the Doha Agenda.

New Publication - HR Body References to Trade

19 April, 2006
The publication of a compilation of references to trade and trade-related issues by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

African Ministers warn against erosion of UNCTAD's mandate

19 April, 2006
African Trade Ministers have expressed their serious concern that some developed countries are making use of the process of reform of the United Nations to target the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in order to erode its mandate or even its institutional existence.

April 19th

Falconer's Reference Papers on the Blue Box and Export Credits

18 April, 2006
Links for 'reference papers' from the Chair of the Agriculture Negotiations, Amb. Falconer, which will be discussed in the current agriculture week.

Aid organisations call on WTO to cancel major trade meeting

18 April, 2006
Aid and advocacy groups from around the world on Tuesday called on WTO chief Pascal Lamy to cancel a major trade meeting scheduled for the end of this month, saying many poor countries are being excluded from talks.

April 18th

Portman departure seen as lessening priority of trade for administration

17 April, 2006
The departure by U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman to become director of the Office of Management and Budget and the nomination of Deputy USTR Susan Schwab as the next USTR signals that trade has become a diminishing priority for the Bush Administration, according to several sources.