May 2010

Anand Sharma positive on WTO trade talks

The Hindu, 29 May 2010
Anand Sharma, India’s Minister for Industry and Commerce, said that although the pace of progress in world trade negotiations had been disappointingly slow, a meeting of 19 trade ministers hosted by him on the margins of the annual meeting of the OECD here had resulted in “substantive talks” on a way to move forward. More…

WTO talks still stuck on safeguards

The Economic Times, 28 May 2010
Adequate protection for poor farmers against import surges remains a tricky issue in the ongoing global trade negotiations at the WTO with farm goods exporting developed countries continuing to express concerns over the measure blocking genuine imports. More…

Trade powers to push for Doha deal to boost economy

Reuters May 28, 2010
Ministers from major trading powers decided on Thursday to redouble efforts for a deal in the stalled Doha round, arguing that opening up global trade would boost the world economy without hitting budgets. More…

India committed to Doha, will make it clear at OECD meet

The Economic Times, 26 May 2010
In an indirect rebuttal to recent US allegations that India, Brazil and China were holding up an agreement at the World Trade Organisation, India is expected to reiterate its commitment to concluding the on-going Doha multilateral trade round at the informal ministerial meet hosted by Australia at the sidelines of the ongoing OECD meeting in Paris this week. More…

Russia to resume WTO negotiations in June – official

Reuters, 26 May 2010
Russia will next month resume negotiations to join the World Trade Organisation, suspended last year after it decided to form a Customs Union with Belarus and Kazakhstan, Russia’s chief negotiator told Reuters. More…

Experts review Vietnam’s 3-year WTO membership

Saigon Daily, 26 May 2010
Vietnam’s accession to the WTO has created positive effects for the economy, but it has also posed big challenges to overcome, experts said. More…

Geithner: Welcome China’s Commitment To New WTO Offer

The Wall Street Journal, 25 May 2010
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner welcomed China’s commitment to move ahead with its proposal to join the World Trade Organization’s Government Procurement Agreement, which sets standards for international access to government contracts. More…

Brazil – The US trade dispute angers American farmers

MTN Daily, 24 May 2010
Brazil and the WTO are dealing with a situation that bears little resemblance to real world conditions in the cotton market, said Collin Peterson, chairman of the House Ag Committee of the US. More…

WTO to probe US duties on Vietnamese shrimp

Thanh Nien Daily, 21 May 2010
WTO judges have agreed to investigate antidumping duties imposed by the US on Vietnamese shrimp to decide whether or not the measures break the organization’s rules. More…

WTO says conclusion of Doha Round talks ‘vitally needed’

Deccan Herald, 16 May 2010
“The Doha Round at this moment of the crisis exiting is a vitally needed, and to be frank, a very low cost global economic stimulus package,” Pascal Lamy told participants at an economic forum in Bahrain. More…

Ban on Chinese telecom gear is no violation of WTO norms: Sharma

The Hindu Business Line, 13 May 2010
Even as the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, maintained that India has not violated any World Trade Organisation norm by prohibiting import of Chinese telecom equipment, the Department of Commerce has shot off a letter to the Department of Telecom (DoT) seeking clarity on the ban. The move is aimed at fool-proofing India’s stand on the issue. More…

EU customs rules: India, Brazil move to WTO

Financial Express, 12 May 2010
India and Brazil have finally moved to the World Trade Organisation against the Netherlands and EU on Wednesday on enforcement of European Union customs rules, claiming that EU has erred in confiscating generic Indian medicines in transit. More…

Government to approach WTO on EU drug seizure

Indian Express, 11 May 2010
After clarifying miscommunications with their Brazilian counterparts, the commerce ministry is on the verge of filing a suit against the European Union for their seizure of generic pharmaceutical drugs headed for the South American nation. More…

New US WTO envoy looks to emerging nations in trade talks

Yahoo News, 10 May 2010
The first US ambassador to the World Trade Organisation of the Obama era said Monday that progress in the blocked Doha Round of free trade talks was largely in the hands of Brazil, China and India. More…

EU files WTO complaint against China over steel fasteners

EU Business, 10 May 2010
The European Union has filed a complaint against China at the WTO over Beijing’s anti-dumping system for imports of steel fasteners. More…

Working party established on Syria’s WTO membership request

WTO Press Release, 04 May 2010
The General Council, on 4 May 2010, agreed to establish a working party to examine the request of the Syrian Arab Republic for WTO membership. Syria welcomed the decision as part of WTO’s efforts “to promote international cooperation for trade and development”. More…

WTO says 70% of members ready to sign Doha Development Agenda

Channel News Asia, 04 May 2010
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) says two-thirds of its members are ready to conclude the stalled Doha Round of trade talks. More…