Archive - Mar 2005

Brazil yesterday clashed with the European Union and Switzerland during the informal meeting of trade ministers here over how to speed up work in the Doha Development Agenda services negotiation

A revised US services offer expected in May is not expected to include new market access for business personnel.

The WTO panel Thursday announced its decision to reject a U.S. appeal of an earlier decision that its domestic and export subsidies on cotton harmed farmers in Brazil and other countries.

The U.S. is under pressure from developing countries to provide additional access for business personnel in the Doha round services negotiations, or run the risk that developing countries will not open their markets in the negotiations.

Three Latin American countries have put forward a proposal for the Doha Round negotiations on nonagricultural market access (NAMA)

Mateo said that if the approach put forward by the three Latin American countries is accepted, there may be no need for the separate NAMA sectoral initiative being pushed mainly by developed countries.

The Bush administration defended U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization on Tuesday as congressional opponents of the world trade body said they would demand a vote on whether to quit.

The European Union's high court has ruled against a Belgian banana importer who sought to use a WTO ruling to challenge EU trade quotas.

The European Union's high court has rued against a Belgian banana importer who sought to use a WTO ruling to challenge EU trade quotas.

WTO is highly criticized for its secrecy and behind the scenes manipulations. The so called Green Room process, where a small group of countries meet and crucial decisions are taken on behalf of the whole membership, is still prevailing.