Archive - Mar 2005

'We wanted a much more ambitious framework, but the US has already set the ground by suggesting its dual-coefficient ‘Swiss' formula and the EU and Norway with their credit-based approach, a key member of the 'Friends' group told WTD.

Success of even a modest outcome of the market access pillar in the ongoing farm trade negotiations as well as nonagricultural market access will depend largely on the European Union.

The battle between Latin American banana producers and the European Union over the EU's proposed tariff on banana imports is beginning to heat up.

WTO members are hoping to achieve enough progress in Hong Kong in key negotiating sectors such as agriculture and market access for nonagricultural goods to ensure the successful conclusion of the Doha Round in 2006.

The Food and Drug Administration is seizing prescription drugs shipped to patients in the U.S. from overseas under I-Save Rx, the program sponsored by five states to help residents obtain low-cost medicines.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, 'routinely adopts implementing rules in the sugar sector in a matter of days,' Brazil added

Johannesson has proposed to negotiators a checklist of issues to form part of an eventual formula to cut tariffs.

'Two years after the submission of our sectoral initiative on cotton, it is now time to move from the stage of declarations and clarifications and finally move to concrete actions,' -Samuel Amehou

Doha Development Agenda market access for industrial and consumer goods Chairman Stefan Hakur Johannesson has proposed to negotiators a checklist of issues to form part of an eventual formula to cut tariffs (WTD, 3/7/05).

An estimated 16,000 delegates from 184 countries are expected to descend on Singapore for the gathering, including 300 finance ministers and heads of central banks.