EU files dispute against Russia over tariffs on agricultural and manufactured goods
WTO News, 31 October, 2014
The European Union notified the WTO Secretariat on 31 October 2014 of a request for consultations with the Russian Federation regarding the tariff treatment Russia accords to certain goods in both agricultural and manufacturing sectors, measures that according to the EU “adversely affect exports of these goods from the European Union to Russia”. More…
Azevêdo urges members to continue talking about ways to move forward beyond Bali impasse
WTO News, 31 October, 2014
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo reported to heads of delegations on 31 October 2014 that there had been no change in the situation regarding the implementation of the Bali Package. He urged members to continue discussing three potential scenarios of ways forward which emerged from consultations with members. More…
Azevêdo announces consultations on future of Bali decisions and post-Bali work programme
WTO News, 21 October, 2014
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo announced at the General Council meeting on 21 October 2014 that his consultations on the future of the Bali decisions and the post-Bali work programme would start the following day. He said that he had heard from WTO members “a willingness to engage in this conversation, and to do all we can to find a way forward”. The Director-General also announced that the 5th Global Review of Aid for Trade will be held from 30 June to 2 July 2015. More…
Azevêdo highlights “dramatic increase” in knowledge component of trade
WTO News, 20 October, 2014
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, in a speech to a conference of the Federal Circuit Bar Association held in cooperation with the WTO, the World Intellectual Property Organization and The European Patent Office on 20 October in Geneva, said that “the past two decades have shown that the TRIPS Agreement can provide a sound and balanced multilateral foundation for the growth of trade in knowledge-rich products and services”. He noted that global exports of intellectual property royalties and licence fees rose to $310 billion last year, just short of the combined total of trade in communications, construction and insurance services. More…
Azevêdo says Bali impasse paralyzing WTO work, chairs report no progress in consultations
WTO News, 16 October, 2014
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, as chair, reported to the Trade Negotiations Committee on 16 October that despite intensive consultations “we have not found a solution to the impasse” more than two months after the deadline on the Trade Facilitation Agreement had passed, adding that agreement on work programme for the Doha Round “is now very unlikely by the end of the year”. “This could be the most serious situation that this organization has ever faced,” he said, and while members should keep working for a solution to the current impasse, “we should also think about our next steps”. More…
WTO ruling backs US complaint against Indian poultry rules
Economic Times, 14 October, 2014
In a big setback, India today lost a case in the WTO against the US on restrictions it had imposed on poultry imports from America. More…
Why trade matters to Africa
WTO News, 02 October, 2014
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, in opening the WTO Public Forum’s second plenary session “Why Trade Matters to Africa” on 2 October, said that trade has an important role in realizing Africa’s “sheer potential”. He said that fully implementing the Trade Facilitation Agreement “will help to integrate Africa—and cut the costs of trade significantly”. More…