Water

Wheat Patent : Govt Assures Action

Financial Express | ASHOK B SHARMA | February 16, 2004 The Union government today assured the Supreme Court that all necessary steps would be taken, if the situation so required, to object to the patent rights on Indian wheat landrace accorded to the US seed multinational, Monsanto by the European Patent Office (EPO).

EU To Ask For WTO Panel On US Anti-Dumping Methodology

AFX.COM | February 17, 2004 The EU will today ask for a panel to be set up to examine the compatibility of US anti-dumping methodology with WTO rules, the European Commission said.

Bilateral Pacts Cannot Replace Multilateral System: Sec-Gen

Business Times (Malaysia) | February 17, 2004 THE International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) reminded governments not to be enticed by the short-term gains of bilateral trade pacts because smaller and weaker countries would never fully benefit from such deals.

India Won""t Open Markets Unless Developed Nations Cut Farm Subsidies

Agence France Presse | February 17, 2004 India warned Tuesday it will not open its markets further unless developed nations move swiftly to cut subsidies on their agriculture exports.

Britain Fires Early Salvo In GM Foods Row

Agence France Presse | February 17, 2004 Britain fired a shot across the bows of the United States over genetically-modified (GM) food as environment ministers from around 70 countries prepared to meet here Wednesday on preserving the diversity of life on earth.

African Ministers Open Informal Trade Talks Ahead of WTO Negotiations

World Markets Analysis | By Gus Selassie | February 17, 2004

WTO Public Symposium 2004

World Trade Organization | February 12, 2004 From 25 to 27 May 2004, the WTO will organize its annual public symposium in Geneva. The symposium's set-up will be similar to that of previous years: an opening plenary session on the first day (am), followed by individual work sessions which will run in parallel from 25 (pm) to 27 (pm) May and which are organized by participants themselves.

Hastert Rebukes Bush Adviser

Washington Post | By Mike Allen | February 12, 2004 House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (Ill.), one of the nation's highest-ranking Republicans, rebuked the chairman of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers yesterday for calling the transfer of U.S. service jobs overseas "just a new way to do international trade."

An Alternative For Brazil And India

The Hindu | By William Cortezia and Ajay Panicker | February 10, 2004

U.S., Australia Agree on Free-Trade Pact

Washington Post | By Paul Blustein | Feb. 9, 2004 The United States and Australia announced yesterday that they concluded a free-trade agreement, one of the biggest in a series of two-way deals the Bush administration is pursuing with a number of countries aimed at tearing down barriers to international commerce.