Lamy signals start of “horizontal process” in negotiations
April 20, 2008
Director-General Pascal Lamy, on 17 April 2008, said at an informal meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee that “time is coming soon to take our work to a higher level and to begin drawing together the threads both within and across the two modalities issues (agriculture and industrial tariffs) as mandated in Hong Kong”. He said the “horizontal process will start at Senior Official level, in order to prepare properly for the Ministerial involvement which is likely to be needed at a later stage”.
European Communities awards EUR1 million to WTO training programmes
March 31, 2008
The European Communities has donated EUR1 million (about CHF1.55 million) to the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF).
This donation will finance technical assistance programmes and training activities for developing and least developed countries as well as economies in transition. The aim is to better adapt their practices and laws to WTO rules and disciplines, improve the implementation of their obligations and enhance the exercise of their membership rights.
Overall, EU Member States and the European Commission have contributed around two thirds of the total funding for the DDAGTF, since it was first set up in 2002.
“I welcome this new donation that demonstrates the EC’s constant commitments to help developing countries benefit fully from the multilateral trading system and better integrate in the global economy” declared WTO Director General Pascal Lamy.
EC Ambassador Eckart Guth stated “Acquiring a better understanding of WTO rules and procedures is key for developing countries if they want to use trade as a tool for development. For this reason, the EC will continue to support the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund”.
WTO strikes down US import curbs on Indian seafood
March 7, 2008
Kochi: Indian seafood exporters can heave a sigh of relief as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has ruled against imposition of additional customs bond by the US on Indian seafood products.
The customs bond is a surety guaranteeing that the importer will abide by all laws and regulations governing the import of merchandise into the US.
A dispute settlement panel of WTO has accepted India’s plea against imposition of additional 100 percent customs bonds by the US on Indian shrimp imports to that country, an official of the Seafood Exporters Association of India told IANS Wednesday.
“The decision came on Feb 29. Another reason for cheer is that the anti-dumping duty on seafood products from India, which was raised to 10.54 percent in August 2004, should be lowered to 1.09 percent,” the official said.
The first positive development in the case came in December 2006 when the US Court of International Trade gave a preliminary ruling that the additional bond imposed on shrimp imports from India was contrary to the law, he said.
“Consequent to the tough new rules imposed by the US against Indian shrimp products, the number of seafood exporters which stood at 280 then had dwindled to a mere 68 by the end of this January,” the official said.
(Source: Economic Times)
Lamy welcomes revised agriculture and NAMA negotiating texts
February 20, 2008
WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy welcomed the release of revised negotiating texts in agriculture and industrial goods trade issued on 8 February by Agriculture Negotiating Group Chairman Crawford Falconer and Non-Agricultural Market Access Chair Don Stephenson.
These documents, he said, paved the way for the launch of an important new stage in the Doha Round of global trade talks.
“The two chairs have produced texts which are now comprehensive. They reflect the progress that has arisen from the intensive negotiations involving all 151 WTO Members since July of last year. Both Crawford and Don have listened to the Members and their views are reflected in these negotiating documents. As expected some areas in the negotiations will require further work. But it is clear that with the release of these revised texts we are a step closer to looking across both these issues as we try to find the final balance for an ambitious and development-oriented round.”