World Trade Organization

WTO Head Praises China, Says New Trade Round Still Far Off

CongressDaily In a speech at the National Press Club Thursday, World Trade Organization Director General Michael Moore praised China for embracing world trade, but he said the trade ministers of WTO members are nowhere near the consensus needed for a meeting to launch a new trade round. He also said he believes the Africa-Caribbean trade bill will pass Congress.

U.S. Leads Trade Boom

Associated Press / Naomi Koppel, Associated Press Writer GENEVA (AP) -- Buoyed by booming U.S. demand, international trade grew strongly at the end of last year, but many countries in Latin America and East Europe saw exports fall, the World Trade Organization said in its annual report released today.

China, Malaysia Sign WTO Deal

BEIJING (AP) -- China and Malaysia have signed an agreement on China's entry into the World Trade Organization, leaving just seven WTO members who have yet to approve China's bid to join the trade group. The agreement was signed Wednesday in Malaysia by China's trade minister, Shi Guangsheng, and his Malaysian counterpart, Rafidah Aziz, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said.

EU Defends Customs Procedures for Fruit, Vegetables as Consistent with Global Rules

April 13, 2000 | By Daniel Pruzin GENEVA--The European Union April 12 defended its practice of applying standard price values to import of fruits and vegetables for customs valuation purposes, arguing that the practice is fully compatible with global trading rules.

U.S. Unions Rally Thousands Against China Trade Deal

Agence France Presse / Olivier Knox WASHINGTON, April 12 (AFP) - Major US unions and other foes of granting China permanent trade privileges rallied thousands of protesters at the US Congress Wednesday before deploying them to win over lawmakers.

China Confident of WTO Deal with European Union

Agence France Presse | April 12, 2000 KUALA LUMPUR - China said Wednesday it would soon resume talks with the European Union on its accession to the World Trade Organisation and was confident of reaching a deal.

Jordan Joins World Trade Group

GENEVA (AP) -- Jordan on Tuesday officially became the 136th member of the World Trade Organization, giving the resource-barren Arab kingdom greater access to world markets. The middle eastern nation was accepted into the body which sets global trade rules, 30 days after the agreement with the WTO on Jordan's conditions for membership was ratified by the Jordanian parliament.

EU and Gulf States in Talks on Free Trade Deal

Agence France Presse RIYADH, April 11 (AFP) - Officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union began talks Tuesday in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on a free-trade agreement, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported.

Under Siege, IMF, World Bank Policymakers Plan Spring Meeting

Agence France Presse / Nathaniel Harrison WASHINGTON, April 11 (AFP) - IMF and World Bank policymakers gather here later this week to debate the future of the global economy but their closed-door deliberations could easily be eclipsed by massive street protests.