Archive - 2005

The WTO negotiations on non-agricultural market access (NAMA) are taking place now in Geneva, on 21-23 September. The negotiations are already quite advanced. If there are signs of serious movements in agriculture, the major players could well try to wrap things up in NAMA quickly - with serious consequences for the developing countries' industries.(M.Khor)

After the decrease of the prices of cotton 'white gold', Egypt is seeing the collapse of farmers incomes and the deterioration of the textile industry.

Washington and Brussels will have a try at kick-starting the stalled Doha Development Agenda trade negotiations by presenting some ideas on agricultural market access and domestic supports to the two other members of the so-called 'quad' meeting set for Friday India and Brazil and then bring them to more partners

Facing clear opposition from Congress to bind visa quotas in WTO, the USTR is trundling toward Hong Kong empty-handed.

The meeting of the WTO General Council at the end of July 2005 failed to produce an outcome in terms of 'additional convergence' on a range of issues mainly because of the lack of progress in the negotiations on agriculture among a small group of countries.

The United States will host an informal trade ministerial meeting on October 10 in Zurich to accelerate the flagging Doha trade negotiations ahead of crucial trade negotiations committee and General Council meetings next month

On 9 September, Saudi Arabia and the US concluded a bilateral deal on Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO

The Third World Network held a regional Asian workshop on bilateraland regional FTAs on 26-29 August in Kuala Lumpur. Many speakers and participants voiced concerns about how the developed countries are making use of such FTAs to get developing countries to accept issues (such as investment) and rules (such as in intellectual property and services) that oblige them to take on more commitments than they have acepted in the WTO.(M.Khor)

The Hong Kong government has ordered hospitals to stock up on antidotes to cyanide and insecticide in preparation for chemical attacks during the World Trade Organization meeting in December