State of Play in the WTO Agriculture Negotiations: Country Groupings’ Positions – December 2005 Update.
The present note provides an overview of the position of various countries and group of countries active in the WTO agriculture negotiations, with respect to the critical issues under discussion. (more…)
Observations on the Proposal for a New Peace Clause.
This T.R.A.D.E. Analysis seeks to assist developing countries in discussions on the proposal to re-introduce a Peace Clause. It examines WTO dispute settlement developments after the expiry of the old Peace Clause and suggests possible trade-offs if developing countries decide to accept a new Peace Clause. (more…)
Overview of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures in Quad Countries on Tropical Fruits and Vegetables Imported from Developing Countries.
A number of developing countries,1 and especially least developed countries (LDCs), rely on agriculture for their food security, export earnings and rural development. It has been estimated that the agricultural sector accounts for between 30 per cent and 60 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) for many of these countries, and is the major source of foreign exchange. (more…)
Revisiting EPAs and WTO Compatibility.
The real objectives of the ACP-EU Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) currently under negotiation are poverty eradication; sustainable development; and the gradual integration of the ACP countries into the world economy. (more…)
A Compilation of Negotiating Proposals on Trade Facilitation
Paragraph 27 of the 2001 Doha Ministerial Declaration states that: 27. Recognizing the case for further expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit, and the need for enhanced technical assistance and capacity building in this area, we agree that negotiations will take place after the (more…)
Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns: The Way Forward After Cancun.
This paper looks primarily at the history of implementation issues in the WTO since the 2001 Doha Ministerial Conference, and at some of the major initiatives that developing countries have suggested in order to push the negotiations on implementation issues forward. (more…)
The Legality of Creating Plurilateral Agreements Within the WTO for Singapore Issues.
This note seeks to assess whether it is actually legal, under the WTO Agreement, for WTO Members to undertake and conclude negotiations for plurilateral agreements in the WTO vis-a-vis the Singapore issues. (more…)
Note on the expiry of the Peace Clause: some elements for consideration by developing countries.
According to Art. 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture the reform process should continue through new negotiations which started in the year 2000. Although progress has been achieved in understanding the positions and concerns of members, no concrete result can be presented so far. (more…)
Institutional Governance and Decision-Making Processes in the WTO: Some Issues for Consideration after Cancun.
Issues relating to internal WTO institutional governance have long been on the agenda of the WTO, stemming primarily from the fact that the institutional mechanisms and processes used have led to problems of transparency, inclusiveness, and participation, as well as efficiency, in decision-making in the organization. (more…)
Chronology of Events in the Cancun WTO Ministerial Conference on 10-14 September 2003. (more…)
Suggestions on Procedural Options based on the 1996 WTO Rules of Procedure for Sessions of the Ministerial Conference with Respect to Some Issues.
This short note is prepared by the South Centre for developing country delegations arising from suggestions and discussions made during a meeting held at the South Centre on 3 September 2003. It suggests some procedural tactics that could be used to address some process-related issues of concern raised by developing countries with respect to: (more…)
European Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform in the WTO context.
This note is an attempt to appraise the possible implications of the decisions reached in Europe on 26 June on CAP reform for the agriculture negotiations at the WTO. That is, trying to understand how the policy changes agreed could be translated into the WTO framework and put it in context. (more…)
