WHY THE US PROPOSAL (WT/GC/W/764) WILL AFFECT ALL DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND UNDERMINE THE MULTILATERAL SYSTEM
US’ recent submissions to the WTO attempt to fundamentally change the concept of Special and Differential Treatment (S&D) at the WTO from an unconditional right for all developing countries to conditioned concessions available to only a few. This will affect developing countries and undermine the multilateral trading system!
IP Licence, Trademarks and ISDS: Bridgestone v. Panama
By Pratyush Nath Upreti
Can an intellectual property right or a license authorizing its use be deemed an ‘investment’ under bilateral investment treaties? This policy brief discusses the arguments submitted by the parties in the Bridgestone Licensing Services, Inc. and Bridgestone Americas, Inc. v. Republic of Panama case on questions regarding a trademark license agreement. Bridgestone Licensing Services, Inc. (BSLS) and Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) together initiated arbitration proceedings on the grounds that Panama’s Supreme Court decision was unjust and arbitrary, violated Panama’s obligations under the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA), expropriated their investments, and violated the requirement of fair and equitable treatment (FET) to BSLS’s and BSAM’s investments.
Investor-State Dispute Settlement: An Anachronism Whose Time Has Gone
By Johannes Schwarzer
Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) – a mechanism that allows foreign investors to bring claims against host governments to an international arbitral tribunal – is a relic that should be abolished. Its alleged benefits have not materialized and its costs – monetary and other – can represent a formidable obstacle to good economic governance. We recommend policymakers to terminate ISDS provisions in existing agreements and eschew them in future trade and investment treaties.
Title: Discussions on the Appellate Body crisis at the WTO
Date and Time: Wednesday, 28th November, 2018
Venue: South Centre, Geneva
Organizer: The South Centre
Title: Negotiation Dynamics of the WTO – An Insider’s Account by Mohan Kumar
Date and Time: Thursday, 15 November 2018, 17:00-19:00
Venue: Julius Nyerere Room, The South Centre, Geneva
Organizers: South Centre, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)
Title: Working Lunch on Agriculture (Export competition)
Date and Time: Friday, 9th November 2018, 13:00-15:00
Venue: South Centre, Geneva
Organizer: The South Centre
Title: Reforms and Alternatives for the Future of the International Investment Treaty Regime; Views for the Way Forward
Date and Time: Tuesday, 23 October 2018, 12:30-14:30
Venue: Room XXII of the Palais des Nations
Organizer: The South Centre
Title: African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Refresher: WTO Agriculture Negotiations
Date: 17 October 2018
Venue: WTO Room XX, William Rappard Centre, Geneva, Switzerland
Title: Brexit and WTO
Date: 15 October 2018
Venue: The South Centre, Geneva
Organizer: The South Centre
Title: Meeting on Agricultural Market Access
Date and Time: Monday, 8th October 2018, 15:00-18:00
Venue: World Trade Organisation, Geneva
Organizer: African Group
Title: Intellectual Property and Health: The Use of TRIPS Flexibilities to Achieve SDGs
Date and Time: 2 October 2018, 11:30-13:00
Venue: Room S1, The World Trade Organization (WTO), Geneva
Organizer: The South Centre
Title: Meeting on E-Commerce, the Digital Economy and WTO
Date and Time: 5 October 2018, 1-5.30 PM
Venue: South Centre, Geneva
Organizer: The South Centre, Centre for WTO Studies and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
