Archive - mars 22, 2005 - Article

The EC in last week's NAMA negotiations (14th – 18th March 2005) unveiled its ambitious proposal to cut drastically all members' tariffs in order to gain 'real market access.'

A new policy paper from the UK Department for Trade and Industry intervenes in a controversy over proposed economic partnership agreements (EPAs) the EU is negotiating with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

The World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body formally adopted March 21 a landmark ruling against U.S. subsidy programs for cotton.

Civic groups plan a series of activities to counter the upcoming negotiations on free trade area (FTA) agreement between Thailand and the United States in Pattaya early next month.

Completing the tariff conversions is considered by many WTO members as a precondition for negotiations on the tariff formula.

Planned trade deals between the EU and the world's poorest countries must be radically rethought to allow poor nations to liberalise markets at their own pace and in their own time, the UK will demand today.

Among the countries that submitted papers at the WTO’s meeting onNon-agriculture market access (NAMA) last week were the European Communities and Malaysia.

The European Union should not press poor countries to accept rules governing investment, competition and government procurement in return for continued special trade access to European markets.

The negotiations have attracted strong opposition and raised concern among many Thai social advocates, trade union and NGO activists, as well as academics and armers.

Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath said developing countries are alarmed at the 'enormity of farm subsidies in rich countries, which creates artificial prices.