EU informs WTO of its implementation of Airbus rulings
WTO News, 19 December,2011
At the meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body on 19 December 2011, the EU announced it had taken all appropriate steps to implement the Airbus rulings. The US challenged the EU’s claims. More…
WTO Members adopt waiver to permit preferential treatment of LDC service
WTO News, 17 December,2011
Trade ministers at the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva today, 17 December 2011, adopted a waiver to enable developing and developed-country Members to provide preferential treatment to services and service suppliers of least-developed country (LDC) Members. Of the 153 WTO Members, 31 are LDCs who stand to benefit from preferential treatment designed to promote their trade in those sectors and modes of supply that are of particular
interest to them. More…
Ministerial Conference approves Russia’s WTO membership
WTO News, 16 December,2011
On 16 December 2011, Russia cleared the final hurdle to become a WTO member. WTO Ministers adopted Russia’s WTO terms of entry at the 8th Ministerial Conference in Geneva. Russia will have to ratify the deal within the next 220 days and would become a fully-fledged WTO member 30 days after it notifies the ratification to the WTO. More…
World Trade Organization – Lamy: “Stand-up for the values of multilateralism” / Historic deal reached on government procurement
WTO News, 15 December, 2011
Parties to the Plurilateral Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) reached today (15 December 2011) a historic deal to improve the disciplines for this key sector of the economy and expand the market access coverage valued at between 80 to 100 billion dollars a year. More…
Pascal Lamy: “Stand-up for the values of multilateralism”
WTO News, 15 December, 2011
Director-General Pascal Lamy, at the opening of the 8th Ministerial Conference in Geneva on 15 December 2011, called on members to “stand up for the values of multilateralism,” and for major players to “exercise leadership and to muster political courage to act together for greater trade opening and reform,” and to “place the interests and needs of developing countries and, in particular, those of the poorest, at its heart.”. More…
WTO launches new tool for accessing trade policy information
WTO News, 15 December, 2011
The WTO has developed a new application that will allow users to access via one portal all trade policy information notified to the WTO by its members. Known as the Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal (I-TIP), the new application will encompass tariffs, non-tariff measures and related trade statistics. More…
WTO Shifts Meeting Goals Amid Doha Stalemate
The Wall Street Journal, 14 December, 2011
The rainy, gray weather over Geneva matches the mood of the first ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization since 2009, with ministers turning their attention to other areas amid little hope of resurrecting the stagnant Doha round of trade talks. More…
India ready to block any move to put farm tariffs at WTO meet
The Economic Times, 12 December, 2011
India will resist any attempt by developed countries to take away the right of World Trade Organisation (WTO)-member nations to restrict export of food items and raise import tariffs beyond existing levels. More…
China Marks Decade in WTO Amid Criticism
Bloomberg, 12 December, 2011
China’s decade in the World Trade Organization thrust the nation into the top spot in industries ranging from textiles to cars. The world’s No. 2 economy now faces calls to open its market further and play by WTO rules. More…
EU Says Airbus Support Now Complies With WTO
The Wall Street Journal, 02 December, 2011
The European Union on Friday outlined measures its governments have taken to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling that Airbus has received illegal subsidies. More…
Before knocking on WTO doors, India seeks talks with US on steel duty
The Economic Times, 03 December, 2011
India has decided to seek consultations with the US on the ‘wrongful’ imposition of penal duties on its steel exports, a first step that a country takes before dragging another to the dispute settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organsiation or WTO. More…
WTO General Council Chair sends “political guidance” text to Ministerial Conference Chair
WTO News, 01 December, 2011
In line with the procedure agreed at the General Council meeting on 30 November 2011, the Chair, Amb. Yonov Frederick Agah, on 1 December 2011, forwarded the document “Elements for Political Guidance” to the Chair of the Eighth Ministerial Conference, Trade and Investment Minister Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga of Nigeria, for inclusion as the consensus part of his statement. More…