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Limited Progress In Attempt To Revive Doha Talks

The final countdown starts today for efforts to revive the Doha global trade round, after two days of talks in which World Trade Organisation members have made only limited progress in resolving their most stubborn differences.

Mad Cow 'Firewalls' Just a Smokescreen

It's been seven months since the discovery of a mad cow-infected Holstein in Washington state, time enough for the administration to have developed a comprehensive regulatory response to protect the U.S. beef supply. Indeed, to listen to the rhetoric of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, you'd think the administration had done just that. In

Japan's Refusal Of American Apples Hurting Michigan Growers

Japan's 10-year-old import restrictions against U.S.-grown apples are hurting Michigan's growers, even though the state doesn't ship apples there. The Japanese government virtually stopped importing American apples in 1994, saying it feared they would bring in fire blight, a bacterial disease that can reduce yields and kill trees.

India Wants WTO To Address Its Concerns

Armed with a broad political consensus on its World Trade Orangisation (WTO) strategy, the ruling coalition United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has said it would press for incorporating the country's concerns in the proposed Framework to be taken up at the General Council meeting in Geneva next week.

Japan To Hang Tough On Tariffs At WTO

Worried that too few of its farm products may be exempted from massive tariff cuts, Japan plans to keep up the pressure on other World Trade Organization members as they try to hammer out a multilateral trade agreement.

Developing Countries Demand Changes As Obstacles Mount In Trade Talks

Developing countries have called for "important changes" to the World Trade Organisation's attempt to relaunch deadlocked global trade talks by an end-July deadline, it emerged Thursday.

WTO Treaty Talks Close To Collapse

Key mediators warned yesterday that failure to agree on a draft of a global trade treaty at next week's gathering of the World Trade Organisation could doom the talks indefinitely.

Farm Subsidies and Africa: Cotton's Not King

SAINT PAUL, Minnesota It is increasingly asserted that American and European agricultural subsidies inhibit prosperity in the developing world, particularly in Africa. Critics argue that rich nations have aggressively dismantled trade barriers on industrial goods, yet shamelessly refused to do so for agriculture, where many African nations would have a comparative advantage.

France Considers WTO Proposal On Agriculture "Unacceptable"

PARIS, July 21 (Xinhuanet) -- French President Jacques Chirac described Wednesday as "unacceptable" a proposal made by World Trade Organization (WTO) on agriculture to restart the Doha round multilateral negotiations.

Mediators Vow Best Efforts To Find Global Trade Agreement At WTO Meeting

Key mediators warned Tuesday that failure to agree on a draft of a global trade treaty at next week's gathering of the World Trade Organization could doom talks indefinitely.