July 2014

WTO Members unable to bridge the gap on trade facilitation

WTO News, 31 July, 2014

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo reported to WTO ambassadors on 31 July 2014 that despite intensive consultations, “we have not been able to find a solution that would allow us to bridge the gap” on the adoption of the protocol on the Trade Facilitation Agreement. He urged members “to reflect long and hard on the ramifications of this setback”. More…

Azevêdo reports “very good level of engagement” on Doha Round work programme

WTO News, 25 July, 2014

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, in his report to the General Council on 25 July as chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee, said that there had been “a very good level of engagement” in recent consultations conducted by him and the chairs of the negotiating groups on the key areas of agriculture, industrial goods and services. “How we move forward now is in your hands”, he said. More…

Azevêdo says trade must play a central role in the Post-2015 Development Agenda

WTO News, 24 July, 2014

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo told the General Council on 24 July that he has been actively engaged in ensuring that trade is given a central role in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which is being discussed at the United Nations. He said that the draft goals include a significant increase in exports of developing countries, including doubling by 2020 the share of global exports of least-developed countries. He added that the WTO Public Forum in October will be dedicating a full day to analysing trade in Africa. Report by the Chairman of the Trade Negotiations Committee. More…

Agriculture negotiators edge into substantive discussion for post-Bali work programme

WTO News, 23 July, 2014

WTO members started to exchange views on the contents of a work programme for concluding the Doha Round agriculture negotiations when they met on 23 July 2014, although they said more details are necessary if new approaches are to be considered as they work to meet the year-end deadline. More…

World Trade Organization – Azevêdo launches new WTO Facility to deliver support to LDCs and developing countries

WTO News, 22 July, 2014

A new initiative unveiled at the WTO on 22 July 2014 will help developing countries and least-developed countries reap the benefits of the WTO’s new Trade Facilitation Agreement, which was agreed at the Bali Ministerial Conference in December 2013. More…

India Throws WTO Free-Trade Agreement in Doubt

Wall Street Journal, 19 July, 2014

India could yet scuttle a landmark trade deal struck in Bali, Indonesia, last year, despite widespread lobbying by other countries for it to support the plan at a meeting of the G-20 Trade Ministers forum in Sydney on Saturday. More…

China chastises US after WTO victory

AFP News, 19 July, 2014

China’s commerce minister hit out at the United States on Thursday, urging it not to be a “rule-breaker” after the World Trade Organisation (WTO) handed Beijing initial victory in a trade dispute. More…

India-US solar issue: WTO sets up dispute panel

Business Standard, 18 July, 2014

The WTO has set up a dispute settlement panel to examine a complaint by the US against India’s domestic content requirements under the country’s solar power programme, Parliament was informed today. More…

Bali can herald a new era in the WTO – Azevêdo

WTO News, 17 July, 2014

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, in a speech at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University in Canberra on 17 July, said: “Bali has created the opportunity to herald a new era in the WTO. But whether we take this opportunity is up to the members. It will be a question of political will.” He said he has no doubt that “Australia will play an important role — including this year during its G20 presidency” in helping to conclude the Doha Round.. More…

Members hold first meeting on monitoring of special treatment since Bali decision

WTO News, 07 July, 2014

On 7 July 2014, the Committee on Trade and Development held its first meeting on the monitoring of special and differential treatment for developing countries since the Bali Ministerial Conference. More…

Azevêdo welcomes launch of plurilateral environmental goods negotiations

WTO News, 08 July, 2014

Fourteen WTO members launched plurilateral negotiations for an Environmental Goods Agreement on 8 July 2014 at the WTO. These members said the talks will promote green growth and sustainable development while providing impetus for the conclusion of the Doha Round. More…

Farm talks chair urges members to air ‘give’ as well as ‘take’ in talks among themselves

WTO News, 03 July, 2014

WTO agriculture negotiators meeting on 3 July 2014 heard the first, brief, suggestion of how the present draft text might be simplified and were urged by the chairperson to explore this and other ideas in discussions among themselves. More…

WTO: India rejects TFA without solving food security issue

Moneycontrol, 03 July, 2014

Deeply concerned over slow progress in finding a permanent solution to the food security issue, India in a stern message to WTO members said it would not be possible to agree on trade facilitation pact which is dear to the developed world. More…

Trade Facilitation Agreement will support regional integration

WTO News, 01 July, 2014

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo told the African Union Forum on Industrialization and Inclusive Development in Africa on 1 July 2014 that the Trade Facilitation Agreement “will begin to remove some of the barriers which prevent full integration into global value chains. As such, it will create an added impetus for industrialization and inclusive sustainable development.” More…