Brakes on dumping

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry has demanded a complete ban on the import of second-hand cars and used tyres, in its report tabled in parliament.

Healing touch

after nearly two years of negotiations, poor countries will finally have access to cheaper medicines following a deal clinched at the World Trade Organization (wto) in Geneva, Switzerland, on August 30, 2003.

New entrant

the doors of the World Trade Organization (wto) have been thrown open for Nepal. But not before the country staved off immense pressure from the North to join the International Union for Protection of New Varieties of Plants (upov). The upov is a global agreement that essentially protects the rights of multinational companies.

Battlelines drawn

negotiations on the crucial issue of agriculture intensified in the build-up to the Fifth World Trade Organization (wto) Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico, with several developing countries joining hands to take on the formidable eu-us combine. The latter presented a joint paper on August 13 at the wto general council in session at Geneva. The move was countered by six like-minded developing countries, which tabled a proposal on August 19.

Achieve development

In November 1999 during the World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Seattle I led the delegation from the United Kingdom. I was convinced the expansion of world trade could bring major benefits to developing countries and would be a key to tackle world poverty. For this, developing countries needed to embrace fully trade liberalisation.

Alter the WTO

Many Africans and their allies tried to raise a sustainable development agenda at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (wssd) -- with limited success. The wssd relinquished responsibility to big business and the World Trade Organization (wto).

The squabble of nations

In the early days of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (gatt), trade and environment related disputes were diplomatically resolved. Over the years, there developed a 'rule based' system.

WTO vs MEAs

The Doha Ministerial Declaration, in paragraph 31(i), mandates negotiations on the relationship between existing wto rules and specific trade obligations (stos) set out in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (meas) that aim to make trade and environment more mutually supportive. How can this mandate be approached from a developing country perspective?

On the defensive at Cancun?

RECENTLY Arun Jaitley identified agriculture and investment as the two main issues for next month's World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Cancun, Mexico. (Jaitley is India's union minister of commerce and industry, and head of the Indian delegation to Cancun.) He isn't off target. The US, the world's largest agricultural exporter, will push for dismantling barriers in the agricultural markets. The EU, the world's largest foreign investor, is sure to gun for an agreement on investment.

At a standstill

The outcome of the fourth and final mini-ministerial before the Cancun conference in September was on predictable lines. No breakthrough was made on contentious issues regarding agricultural and non-agricultural products, investment, competition, transparency in government procurement and trade facilitation and, most importantly, development.