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 31 January 2008 the staff of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce issued a 'white paper' on potential climate change legislation, with a particular focus on competitiveness concerns and ways to engage developing countries. The paper is part of a series aimed at providing guidance to lawmakers in …
The European Union is preparing to take the next step in tackling climate change after its executive arm presented a draft legislative package on 23 January 2008. The draft legislation proposes an EU-wide greenhouse gas emission trading scheme and enery related measures. Feb 2008
When pharmaceutical company Novartis challenged the rejection of its patent application for the leukemia drug Gleevec in Novartis AG v. Union of India, it became the first major legal challenge to India’s newly amended patent law. In 2005, India purportedly made the final changes required to bring its intellectual property …
This manual is developed to provide fundamental information about Codex in a standardized, logical and systematic manner. It comprises eight sections. Each section consists of specific training modules with a provision for the inclusion of optional modules that may be combined and customized to meet the requirements. The sections and …
The World Trade Organization (wto) ruled on October 15 that the us has failed to bring subsidies and export credit guarantees to its cotton farmers in conformity with wto rulings. The ruling is a major victory for Brazil and four West African countries
The two-day meet of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (apec) countries ended on September 9, 2007, in Sydney, Australia, amidst much opposition and protests. The key outcome of the meet was a decision to push the Doha trade talks forward and support a post-Kyoto pact. apec members pledged to show "political …
the us and Mexico have accused China of giving illegal subsidies to Chinese companies to boost exports, while imposing tax and tariff penalties to limit purchases of foreign products in China. wto started a formal investigation recently based on the allegations. Concerned about the us's rising trade deficits and lost …
If the Doha Round of negotiations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is stalemated, a great part of it is because of the resistance of small farmers, including those in Asia. One of the terrible truths of the 20th century is that it was a blight on small farmers or …
on may 14, the government announced that an expert committee has been set up to study the impacts of climate change in India and identify measures to address the "vulnerability to anthropogenic climate change impact'. The committee comes at a time when India is under pressure from international ngos and …
The European Union recently blocked a wto investigation into its banana import tariffs, with reference to an arbitration process started by Latin American countries against it. wto has repeatedly ruled against eu's banana import regime, forcing it to change its system that favours the African, Caribbean and Pacific (acp) countries. …
This book proposes to present design of income policy for farmers suiting India's over populated rural sector. The profile of the farms and the farmers is presented to understand the structure of the farm economy and type of farmers for whom the income policy is designed. It also looks into …
An ongoing case in Madras High Court has brought forth a damning revelation: the Indian government remains confused about its patent laws and the latter are now under threat. A May 2006 petition filed by Novartis, the pharmaceutical multinational, has sought changes in India's patent laws. Potent enough to restrict …
the fight for access to a generic version of a cancer drug is likely to get more problematic. India's ministry of commerce and industry has signed a memorandum of understanding (mou) with the us Patent and Trademark Office (uspto) on intellectual property (ipr). Signed on December 20, 2006, the mou …
In August and September 2006, patients with cancer, lawyers for patient advocacy groups, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) converged on the offices of Novartis in Mumbai, India, to protest the company's efforts to obtain an Indian patent on Gleevec, the company's brand-name version of imatinib mesylate. Gleevec (spelled Glivec …
This report considers the implications of the Kyoto Protocol on competitiveness and addresses the WTO-compatibility of measures to offset competitive losses. From the outset the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have had to contend with perceived tension between effective action to slow climate change …
This booklet attempts to present: key issues in privatisation and commercialisation of water; global experiences of the promises and practices of privatisation, an overview of privatisation projects in the country, a broad picture of the commercialisation of the water sector under the reforms program, impacts of privatisation and commercialisation and …
The European Commission recently said it is lodging a complaint with wto over India's import regime for spirits and wines. The commission said India's trade barriers to imports of spirits and wines are in breach of international trade rules. The decision follows an investigation carried out in the framework of …
The World Trade Organization (wto) was supposed to be the driver of free trade in a globalised economy. But this does not seem to be the case. Regional trade agreements (rtas) seem to be ruling the roost. Two hundred ninety rta s are now in force. rtas are popular among …
What is the reason for the growing regional trade agreements (rtas)? The key driver seems to be the slack in the multilateral process and the desire to achieve greater market access through alternative trade policy instruments. Thus, in 2004-2005, when progress at the World Trade Organization (WTO) was haltingly slow, …
