India unlikely to secure credible gains for its millions of poor farmers unless the govt stands firm against the US over its opposition to New Delhi’s demands in agriculture

The United States intends to pursue, after the Nairobi WTO Ministerial Conference, an aggressive trade strategy by forcing "differentiation" to deny special and differential treatment for China and India at the World Trade Organization (WTO), several people familiar with the development told the SUNS.

The African Group on Monday (September 28) has told the United States that they will need substantial reduction commitments in the domestic support pillar of agriculture based on the 2008 revised draft modalities to conclude the Doha Round, African trade envoys told the SUNS.

The African Group on Monday (September 28) has told the United States that they will need substantial reduction commitments in the domestic support pillar of agriculture based on the 2008 revised draft modalities to conclude the Doha Round, African trade envoys told the SUNS.

guest column Par Biraj Patnaik et Timothy A. Wise / Les dirigeants doivent lutter contre les atteintes au mandat de développement de Doha. A la réunion ministérielle de l'OMC de 2013, l'Inde s'est retrouvée bien seule face à la pression des pays riches sur son gouvernement contre son programme prônant la sécurité alimentaire et la constitution de stocks alimentaires. Cependant, elle est loin d'être seule lorsqu'il s'agit de reconnaître la valeur des réserves publiques alimentaires comme une garantie contre la volatilité des prix et les pénuries éventuelles, et comme partie intégrante des programmes de lutte contre la pauvreté.

Shalini Bhutani writes why the developed countries should not be allowed to expand IPR in a 21st century agenda for the WTO? The World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) insists on pate-nts in every field of technology which includes seed technolog-ies in agriculture and agrichemicals. This has a bearing on the crisis of farmers’ own seeds.

Today, Thursday, December 3, 10am EST, WikiLeaks releases new secret documents from the huge Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) which is being negotiated by the US, EU and 22 other countries that account for 2/3rds of global GDP. Coinciding with the ongoing climate talks in Paris, today's publication touches on issues of crucial relevance including the regulation of energy, industrial development, workers' rights and the natural environment. WikiLeaks is also publishing expert analyses of the documents.

Jude Kirton-Darling, Labour Member of the European Parliament for the North East of England, writes on International Trade in Services Agreement (TISA)

The new leaked text of the Annexes on Energy and Environmental Services for the Trade in Services Agreement was published by Wikileaks on the 3rd of December. TiSA is being negotiated by 22 countries representing 70% of global trade behind closed doors in a secret room in Geneva while all eyes are on Paris where UN public talks are in full swing to design a new climate regime.