Trade and Investment

Analytical Note, June 2008

South Centre Comments on Revised Draft Modalities for Agriculture.

This note comments on various specific sections of the Revised Draft Modalities for Agriculture (TN/AG/W/4/Rev.2) of 19 May 2008). It highlights elements that were revised and pending contentious issues. Two tables summarizing the treatment of WTO Members with respect to tariff reduction modalities and proposals regarding remedies for volume-based SSM are also included. (more…)

Analytical Note, June 2008

Comments to the Second Revision of the WTO NAMA Draft Modalities.

This note contains preliminary comments to the second revision of the Draft modalities for WTO NAMA negotiations, released on 20 May 2008 by the Chairman of the Negotiating Group on Market Access (TN/MA/W/103/Rev.1). (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2008

The EU- CARIFORUM EPA on Services Investments and E Commerce-Implications for other ACP Countries.

At the close of 2007, the EU completed a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the Cariforum countries.  The EPA with the Cariforum is comprehensive in the sense that it extends to trade in goods, services and all the new generation issues including government procurement, competition law, and others. (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2008

A Positive Agenda for African Agriculture in EPAs.

This Analytical note gives an overview of the provisions on agriculture of the interim EPA initialed at the end of 2007 between the EU et 35 ACP countries. A better understanding of the challenges that faces sub-Saharan agriculture in its expansion as well as the implentation of (more…)

Policy Brief 14, May 2008

From Declarations to Actions on Commodities: Marking the Turning Point at UNCTAD XII.

With the multilateral trade negotiations at an impasse, with the rising concern on climate change and energy insecurity, rising international food prices which disproportionately affect the poor, the time is ripe for all concerned on development to start taking concrete actions to address the plight of the commodity crisis. (more…)

Analytical Note, April 2008

Fact Sheet 8: Competition Policy in Economic Partnership Agreements (CARIFORUM text).

This Fact Sheet Nb.8 overviews provisions related to competition policy in the CARIFORUM EPA text, initialed by 15 Caribbean countries on 16 December 2007, and assesses its developmental impacts, including for regions which have not yet agreed to competition policy provisions in their EPAs with the EU. (more…)

Analytical Note, Febuary 2008

Comments on the Draft Modalities for WTO Agriculture Negotiations dated 8 Feb. 2008

This note comments on various specific sections of the Revised Draft Modalities for Agriculture (TN/AG/W/4 rev. 1 of 8th February 2008). It highlights elements that were revised and pending contentious issues. A useful table summarizing the treatment of WTO Members with respect to tariff reduction modalities is also included. (more…)

Analytical Note, February 2008

Fact Sheet 7: Market Access for Trade in Goods in Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

This Fact Sheet Nb.7 overviews market access provisions related to the liberalisation of merchandise trade under the Interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that were initialed in the end of 2007 between the EU and 35 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP). (more…)

Analytical Note, February 2008

EPA Negotiations: State of Play and Strategic Considerations for the Way Forward.

This Analytical Note describes the process that led to the conclusion, in the last hours of 2007, of interim EPAs between the EU and 20 ACP countries as well as of a comprehensive EPA with the 15 CARIFORUM states. (more…)

Analytical Note, February 2008

Comments to the Draft Modalities for WTO NAMA Negotiations dated 8 Feb. 2008.

This note reviews the revised Draft modalities for WTO NAMA negotiations prepared by the Chairman of the Negotiating Group on Market Access (TN/MA/W/103). After undertaking an overall assessment of the revised NAMA draft modalities text, this note comments on various specific sections thereof, (more…)

Analytical Note, February 2008

Promoting the Development of the South in the Trade and Climate Regimes.

This South Centre Analytical Note stresses that addressing the challenges of development and climate change requires an integrated approach. Both the trade and climate regimes have a role to play. (more…)

Analytical Note, January 2008

State of Play in WTO Agricultural Negotiations: Country Groupings’ Positions – January 2008 Update.

This note provides an overview of the position of various countries and group of countries active in the WTO agriculture negotiations with respect to critical issues discussed in the WTO agricultural negotiations. (more…)