This report identifies options that negotiators and policy-makers could pursue in order to reach a permanent solution at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to the problems some developing countries say they face when buying food at government-set (or government-administered) prices under their public stockholding programs for food security purposes. The …
On his focus areas as chairperson of Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) I would like to focus on building capacity in developing and least developed countries. Most of them do not understand the Codex document, what it contains and what is there between the lines. So, they do not know how …
Agriculture plays an important role in the process of economic development of less developed countries like India. Besides providing food to nation, agriculture releases labour, provides saving, contributes to market of industrial goods and earns foreign exchange. Agricultural development is an integral part of overall economic development. In India, agriculture …
Canada and the European Union are embroiled in a dispute over a key piece of EU climate legislation which Ottawa claims discriminates against one of its key exports—crude from the oil sands of Alberta. At issue is the EU Fuel Quality Directive, which aims to encourage the use of low-carbon …
Excess exports from China's rare earth industry kept prices artificially low for years, and it was now "unrealistic" to expect them to fall back to previous levels as Beijing reins in the sector, a senior industry official said on Thursday. Li Zhong, the vice-general manager of top producer Baotou Steel …
The World Trade Organisation has slammed India for its protective trade policy on food items that prevents exports at a time when world is facing record food prices.In its review of India’s trade and economic policies, the WTO observed that India was one of the highest user of anti-dumping and …
Several WTO members, including Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, China, Pakistan and the European Union, today praised India for pursuing bold trade and development-friendly initiatives despite serious economic and social challenges. The US, however took several pot shots at New Delhi by commenting “about lack of transparency in many aspects of India’s …
In a last-ditch effort to put Doha round trade negotiations back on track, World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Pascal Lamy today called upon all member countries of the organisation to come forward for resolving the contentions with “leadership, pragmatism and determination”. “We can’t give up because of steep slope or …
For General Motors and the Obama administration, the new Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid represents the automotive future, the culmination of decades of high-tech research financed partly with federal dollars. But as G.M. prepares to start selling them here by the end of this year, the Chinese government is putting heavy …
While the rationale for trade facilitation, at least to the practitioner, is self-evident, building the case for trade facilitation is seldom straightforward. Policymakers often rely on the persuasive recommendations of international organisations and are likely to include reference to macroeconomic models. Though helpful, these lack operational detail. Many practical questions …
Agricultural prices, along with the prices of primary commodities in general, have been both high and volatile over 2006-11. These developments impact the poor and other vulnerable non-farm households who devote a high proportion of their incomes to the purchase of food. This paper looks at international and national reserves …
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a private member's resolution urging the Centre to hike the import duty on apples and bring it under “special category products” to protect the interests of farmers here who feel threatened by the recent flooding of imported apples in the Indian market. …
China vowed on Wednesday to appeal a recent World Trade Organization ruling against its raw materials export policy, a case that could threaten Beijing's handling of rare earths. In July, a WTO legal panel dismissed China's claim that its system of export duties and quotas on raw materials -- used …
High-level meeting on Aug 8 to discuss their demands Apple growers of the state, who have been suffering heavy losses due to large-scale import of the fruit, are pinning hopes on a high-level meeting convened by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on August 8 to find a lasting solution to …
Initiating a new era in food safety, the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006 will come into force across the country from Friday making it at par with the international standards. It will ensure improved quality of food for the consumers and censure misleading claims and advertisement by those …
Despite continuing half-hearted attempts to “conclude” the decade-long Doha Round of trade talks under the World Trade Organisation, the round is effectively dead though no country wants to say so. There have been many guilty of refusing to work out a fair package for all countries, but none are more …
The World Trade Organization has ruled in favor of Mexico in a dispute over tuna with the United States that began more than 20 years ago, a high-ranking source close to the negotiations told Reuters. The WTO's decision lifts restrictions for Mexico to ship the fish to the United States, …
An underwater bonanza of rare earth deposits discovered by Japanese scientists poses little threat to miners already developing major rare earth projects on solid ground. Companies such as Molycorp, Lynas and Avalon Rare Metals may rest assured that developing the offshore bounty could take decades and cost billions, making it …
Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have been engaged in discussions on the future of the climate change regime. While the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” has so far played a central role in defining rights and responsibilities of countries, there has been increasing …
Independent India inherited a structure of landholdings characterised by heavy concentration of cultivable areas in the hands of relatively large absentee landowners, the excessive fragmentation of small landholdings, growing number of landless agricultural workers, and the lack of any generalised system of documentary evidence of landownership or tenancy.
Busy fighting corruption charges, the government has decided to form two committees of secretaries (CoS) for revamping crucial processes which are at the root of corrupt practices. The committees will chalk out ways of implementing changes in the allocation of natural resources and the government
