Archive - Nov 2005 - Article

In a move to avoid the collapse of the mid-December Hong Kong World Trade Organization ministerial meeting... suggestions are being made to have a 'proper' ministerial summit next June

European Union trade commissioner Peter Mandelson yesterday assured the EU Council of Ministers that he will not table a new proposal on agricultural market access at the 'quad'plus ministerial meeting as demanded by the United States

Alink to a new U.S. non-paper on numerical market access targets for services negotiations

Trade ministers appeared ready on Tuesday to discuss lowering expectations for a World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting next month because their differences are too wide.

India and Brazil warned that the success of struggling global trade talks hinges on rich nations taking account of the poor, as the EU called for more concessions from developing countries.

The five trade ministers from the United States, the European Union, India, Brazil and Japan who met here in an effort to reach a breakthrough in the stalled Doha Development Agenda trade negotiations practiced diplomatic 'brinkmanship' and restated 'inflexible' positions, but ended on a 'disappointing' note leaving attainment of the full modalities in agriculture and industrial goods trade for next month

Trade ministers from around the world have agreed to hold meetings in London and Geneva through the coming week in an effort to rescue plans for a global trade pact that is at an impasse over agriculture issues.

A failed summit of leaders of the Western Hemisphere dealt a blow to global trade liberalization and strengthened the influence of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a critic of the U.S. who favors protectionism and old-style socialism.

The WTO leadership will be going all out to make a big push - perhaps the last - to save the Hong Kong meeting from being a failure, or a 'non-event.'

The European Union's offer to cut agricultural import tariffs does not go far enough and puts prospects for a new global trade pact in jeopardy