Markets

Commodities Market Speculation: the Risk to Food Security and Agriculture

 Excessive speculation in agriculture commodity markets has played a major role in the rapid rise and fall in global food prices, contributing to a massive increase in undernourished people and commodity market instability, according to this report by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

Promoting Human Rights and the Environment in Trade and Finance Rules

This paper identifies successful strategies by civil society groups to challenge unfair multilateral rules.

New Global Contract Needed to Re-Assert Basic Rights, Protect Environment

Global institutions enforcing trade and finance rules have overridden fundamental human rights, stalled international development and harmed the environment, finds three new papers released today by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

The Multilateral Trade and Investment Context for Biofuels: Issues and Challenges

This paper explains how international trade and investment rules will influence the development of the global biofuels sector.  

The World Bank's WDR 2008: Agriculture and Development - Response from a Slow Trade, Sound Farming Perspective

For the first time in 25 years, the World Bank's annual Development Report (WDR 2008) is dedicated to agriculture. This review of the WDR 2008 is written from the perspective of the EcoFair Trade Reform Proposal.

Patents: Taken for Granted in Plans for a Global Biofuels Market

This paper looks at the effect of patents by multinational corporations on the growth of the biofuels sector.

Concentrated Market Power and Agricultural Trade

The growing market power of international food companies is adversely affecting the lives of farmers and consumers worldwide, according to a new paper by a Senior Advisor with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

E.U. Member-States Memo to the European Commission, March 2006

Memo to the E.C. from E.U. Member-States for a mini-Ministerial in London 10-12 March. The Memo states that "all room for manouevre is exhausted" in relation to further E.U. concessions particularly on agriculture market access and domestic support. The Memo calls for further concessions, particularly from developing countries, on NAMA and services.

Plurilateral request - Energy Services, February 2006

Plurilateral request for energy services