World Trade Organization

WTO’s COOL Ruling confirms that trade treaties undermine national laws

On May 8th, President Obama told a crowd in Oregon: No trade agreement is going to force us to change our laws.

What you need to know about the India-US agreement at the WTO

Update 11/24/14: A draft of the U.S.-India deal on public stockholding for food security has been made available.

Unconditional surrender: The U.S.-Brazil deal to end WTO-authorized retaliation

If the World Trade Organization trade dispute, U.S. Upland Cotton Subsidies (WT/DS267), were a war, the October 1 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to settle the dispute contains Brazil’s unconditional surrender to U.S. demands.

WTO impasse: Who is looking out for the public good?

Late July is a quiet time for much of the Northern hemisphere: even the United States takes a week or two off work at some point to enjoy the summer. It is a busy time, however, for international trade negotiators—this year more than most.

Last day at the 9th WTO Ministerial: Food security hangs in the balance

IATP's Shefali Sharma is reporting from the 9th WTO Ministerial in Bali, Indonesia. 2 p.m., Bali, Indonesia

Draft deal lays groundwork for future negotiations on exempting food security programs from WTO disputes

Update: The ministerial text was accepted on Saturday morning with minor changes to assuage Cuba's concerns. See a video report from Shefali Sharma regarding Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia's move to block consensus on the agreement on the morning of December 7. 

The WTO Bali Ministerial: Doha’s last gasp?

In the category of “praise more fit for a eulogy,” U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman is reported to have said of the last minute negotiations to prepare a package for upcoming WTO Ministerial in Bali: "It's unclear whether they will succeed or not. We certainly hope they will succeed.

Calling on USTR to support global food security in Bali

People in the U.S. may still remember how the streets were shut down in Seattle exactly 14 years ago (1999) as trade diplomats from all around the world gathered for the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 3rd Ministerial meeting.

Who’s afraid of COOL?

To truly see the power of agribusiness, and its growing disconnect from regular people and farmers, look no further than the current dust-up over Country of Origin Labeling (COOL).