WTO Process Issues

Global trade must serve the interests of sustainable development

Original Publication Date: 
2 December, 2009
Source: 
Trade Union Central of the Americas (TUCA)

Trade Unions in the Americas urge governments and trade negotiators gathered in Geneva to fulfill the commitments of the Global Jobs Pact
Victor Baez*

The trade union organizations affiliated to the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) have been closely following the Doha Round negotiations since they were reactivated in 2007. The trade union movement remains mobilized before the 7th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva.

Pronunciamiento de la ASC ante la nueva cumbre ministerial de la OMC

Original Publication Date: 
30 November, 2009
Source: 
Alianza Social Continental

Entre el 30 de noviembre y el 2 de diciembre de 2009 se realizará en Ginebra la VII reunión ministerial de la OMC. Será un nuevo esfuerzo de reanudar las negociaciones de la Ronda de Doha, iniciada hace 8 años, y un escenario donde los países desarrollados nuevamente intentarán imponer su propia agenda de liberalización y desregulación de los mercados.

MULTILATERALISM 2.0 – will trade ministers take up the challenge?

Original Publication Date: 
26 November, 2009
Source: 
IATP
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is getting ready for its 7th ministerial conference, to take place from November 30 to December 2, 2009 in Geneva. As trade ministers pack their suitcases, a few of them must be asking questions about the value of the trip. More than a year after the July 2008 mini-ministerial collapsed in acrimony, the Doha talks have not moved an inch – except to go backwards, according to some developing country representatives.

Letter from the Director General of the WTO, Mr. Pascal Lamy, to the 400 plus journalists accredited for the 7th Ministerial Conference.

Original Publication Date: 
30 November, 2009
Source: 
WTO

Welcome to the 7th WTO Ministerial Conference! This WTO Ministerial Conference will be a bit different from those many of you have attended in the past. Unlike previous Conferences this meeting will not be a Doha Round negotiating session, but rather a chance for Ministers to reflect on all elements of our work, exchange ideas and extend guidance on the best way forward in the years to come.

New world trade deal by 2010 says WTO chief

Original Publication Date: 
9 June, 2009
Source: 
AAP Financial News
Eight torturous years of talks over a new global trade pact should reach a conclusion next year after changes in the US and Indian governments, WTO chief Pascal Lamy said on Tuesday.

Developing countries nix Lamy's two-track approach to Doha talks

Original Publication Date: 
28 May, 2009
Source: 
SUNS #6708
Many developing countries appear to have opposed and/or voiced concerns over a suggestion by WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy for work along "two simultaneous tracks", one on modalities in agriculture and non-agricultural market access (NAMA) and another for commencing the scheduling exercise in both these areas.

WTO to hold seventh Ministerial Conference end November

Original Publication Date: 
28 May, 2009
Source: 
SUNS #6708
The WTO General Council on Tuesday decided to convene its seventh Ministerial Conference in Geneva from 30 November to 2 December, nearly four years after its last conference in Hong Kong-China in 2005.

SNR Coalition Statement on the Doha Round Negotiations

Source: 
Stop the New Round Coalition (SNR)
The Stop the New Round Coalition (SNR) joins peoples’ organizations and movements across the globe in calling for the rejection of the WTO Doha Round and we demand that the Philippine government turn around and walk away from these unfair and unjust negotiations.

Lamy Cites Need for Two-Track Approach For Concluding Doha Round of Trade Talks

Original Publication Date: 
27 May, 2009
Source: 
Daily Report for Executives
World Trade Organization director-general Pascal Lamy said May 26 that WTO members should consider a two-track approach towards concluding the troubled Doha Round of trade talks, an idea already floated by the United States for breaking the deadlock in the negotiations.

Meetings where WTO Doha round could be discussed

Original Publication Date: 
26 May, 2009
Source: 
Reuters
Trade ministers and other leaders will have a number of opportunities in the coming months to negotiate the Doha round on the sidelines of a series of international meetings.

COSATU commends government’s stance not to rush to conclude Doha round

Original Publication Date: 
26 May, 2009
Source: 
COSATU
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) commends the Department of Trade and Industry for opposing the current Doha texts on agriculture and industrial goods. In a statement released on 22 May 2009, it said that SA would not rush for an imperfect Doha deal.

Kirk Highlights Need For New Doha Ideas, Doha Review Bumped Up To NEC

Original Publication Date: 
13 May, 2009
Source: 
Daily News
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk in a series of private and public gatherings this week in Geneva stressed the need for trading partners to consider new ideas to help break the current impasse in the Doha round of global trade talks, but also said the U.S. would look to build on the work done so far rather than scrapping it.

Kirk Opens Drive to Revive Doha Round To Achieve Successful Conclusion to Talks

Original Publication Date: 
12 May, 2009
Source: 
Daily Report for Executives
United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk met with representatives of key World Trade Organization member countries May 11 for a first round of exchanges on how to get the stalled Doha trade talks back on track and towards a successful conclusion.

WTO rejoices over Kamal Nath's exit from trade and commerce

Original Publication Date: 
1 June, 2009
Source: 
Blog: Ground Reality

Geneva heaves a sigh of relief. With Kamal Nath moved out of the Indian Commerce Ministry, the probability of concluding the contentious Doha Development Round of the WTO appears much brighter. Not that Kamal Nath was un-necessarily throwing spanners but his strong grip over the trade negotiations helped India to resist bullying and arm-twisting by the big boys of international trade.

WTO members wait for action to shift from London to Geneva

Original Publication Date: 
8 November, 2005
Source: 
By Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on Trade and WTO Issues
Negotiations seemed to have been put 'on hold' at the World Trade Organisation as delegates in Geneva awaited the outcome of a Ministerial meeting in London Monday involving the US, EU, India and Brazil.

No Breakthrough in Geneva

Original Publication Date: 
19 October, 2005
Source: 
Washington Trade Daily
Chief trade ministers of the 'Five Interested Parties' the United States, the European Union, Australia, Brazil and India yesterday failed to 'break the ice' in the difficult market access area of the ongoing Doha Development Agenda agricultural trade negotiations

Bound to Applied Rates, Then Cut * US

Original Publication Date: 
7 August, 2005
Source: 
Washington Trade Daily
The final formula for reducing industrial tariffs in the Doha Development Agenda negotiations must bring down high bound tariffs to existing applied rates

Anticipating Resumed DDA Negotiations

Original Publication Date: 
2 August, 2005
Source: 
Washington Trade Daily
Incoming World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy is preparing to go 'full steam ahead' into an intensive negotiating phase of the Doha Development Agenda by directing the chairs of the agriculture and industrial market access negotiations commence text-based negotiations without delay

Developing countries voice concern over the substance and process of WTO negotiations

Original Publication Date: 
1 August, 2005
Source: 
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Aug05/3)
At the WTO's Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) on 28 July, severaldeveloping countries expressed many concerns about the state and substance of the WTO negotiations, as well as the process which theyfound to be not transparent or participatory.(M.Khor)

WTO situation disappointing but not disastrous, says Supachai

Original Publication Date: 
31 July, 2005
Source: 
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Aug05/1)
The Chair of the WTO Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, at a meeting of the TNC on 28 July, summed up the situation in the negotiations on the Doha work programme as 'disappointing but not disastrous'.