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WTO NEWS

Annual symposium highlights WTO’s 10th anniversary

The WTO will hold its annual public symposium from 20 to 22 April 2005. Participants from governments, parliaments, civil society, the business sector, academia and the media are invited to debate on the theme “The WTO After 10 Years: Global Problems and Multilateral Solutions”. Several heads of state and trade ministers have been invited to speak.

Draft programme (MS word format, 10 pages; 1184KB)
More on the public symposium

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Events calendar

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  MEETINGS

7–11 March 2005

Monday 7 March 2005

10 am

Rules (regional trade agreements) negotiating group

Tuesday 8 March 2005

10 am

Least-Developed Countries Sub-Committee

3 pm

Intellectual Property (TRIPS) Council (to Thursday)

Wednesday 9 March 2005

10 am

Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Committee (to Thursday)

Friday 11 March 2005

10 am

Intellectual property negotiations (TRIPS Council “special session”: geographical indications register for wines and spirits)

10 am

Goods Council

10 am

Technology Transfer Working Group


The rest of the year
Tentative schedule of meetings, updated weekly — download in pdf format (11KB)
> Guide to downloading files.

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WTO issues report on shipbuilding dispute

The WTO, on 7 March 2005, issued the report of the panel that had examined the European Communities’ complaint against “Korea — Measures affecting trade in commercial vessels” (DS273)
> Download the panel report:

In Word format:
Conclusions and recommendations (1 page, 36KB)
Panel report (185 pages, 1434KB)
Annex A (18 pages, 252KB)
Annex B (20 pages, 149KB)
Annex C (45 pages, 336KB)
Annex D (112 pages, 733KB)
Annex E (17 pages, 136KB)
Annex F (21 pages, 158KB)
Annex G (197 pages, 1572KB)
Annex H (4 pages, 50KB)

In pdf format:
Conclusions and recommendations (1 page, 4KB)
Panel report (185 pages, 668KB)
Annex A (18 pages, 73KB)
Annex B (20 pages, 70KB)
Annex C (45 pages, 150KB)
Annex D (112 pages, 372KB)
Annex E (17 pages, 69KB)
Annex F (21 pages, 84KB)
Annex G (197 pages, 1875KB)
Annex H (4 pages, 16KB)

All documentation on the case DS273
More on Dispute Settlement


Appellate Body issues report on cotton dispute 

The Appellate Body, on 3 March 2005, issued its report on the complaint of Brazil against “United States — Subsidies on Upland Cotton” (WT/DS267/AB/R).
Download:
> Just the findings and conclusions in pdf format (7 pages; 28KB)
> Full Appellate Body Report in Word format (311 pages; 1901KB), in pdf format (311 pages; 970KB)
All documentation on the case DS267
More on Appellate Body
More on Dispute Settlement


Supachai welcomes chance to lead UNCTAD, pledges continued support for DDA

Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi, on 1 March 2005, said he was deeply honoured to have been proposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to lead the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. He stressed that until the expiry of his term of office as Director-General on 31 August 2005, he will remain fully committed to the WTO.
Press release


Trade Policy Review: Qatar

Further reforms would help sustain already impressive economic growth.
Press release
> Chairperson's concluding remarks


Report out on DRAMS dispute

The WTO, on 21 February 2005, issued the report of a panel that had examined a complaint by Korea against United States — Countervailing Duty Investigation on Dynamic Random Access Memory Semiconductors (DRAMS) from Korea (DS296).

> Download the panel report:

In Word format:
Panel report (121 pages, 1084KB)
Annex A (31 pages, 217KB)
Annex B (24 pages, 173KB)
Annex C (19 pages, 180KB)
Annex D (17 pages, 144KB)
Annex E (122 pages, 828KB)
Annex F (17 pages, 317KB)

In pdf format:
Panel report (121 pages, 444KB)
Annex A (31 pages, 109KB)
Annex B (24 pages, 77KB)
Annex C (19 pages, 68KB)
Annex D (17 pages, 39KB)
Annex E (122 pages, 420KB)
Annex F (17 pages, 57KB)

 

All documentation on the case DS296
More on Dispute Settlement


WTO dispute body establishes panels on US and Canada sanctions in ‘hormones’ dispute

The Dispute Settlement Body on 17 February 2005 set up two panels to examine, respectively, the United States' and Canada's continued sanctions against the European Communities' import ban on hormone-treated beef. At the same meeting, the DSB set up at the EC's request a panel to examine the US' compliance in the Foreign Sales Corporation case.
Summary of the meeting


Russia's membership talks make good progress

The 26th meeting of the Working Party on the accession of the Russian Federation to the WTO, held on 16-17 February 2005, made good progress on substantial issues although the chairman, Ambassador Stefán Jóhannesson of Iceland, said that there was “still a lot of work has to be done”.
Summary of the meeting


WTO chairpersons for 2005

The General Council, on 15 February 2005, noted the consensus on the slate of names of chairpersons for WTO bodies and elected Amb. Amina Chawahir Mohamed of Kenya as its new Chairman.
Press release


General Council accepts separate applications from Serbia and Montenegro

At the February 15th 2005 meeting, the General Council accepted the separate applications for membership of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro and agreed to the establishment of Working Parties to start the negotiations. As from that date the application of “Serbia and Montenegro” was withdrawn and this entity ceased to be an applicant and an observer.


NEWS ARCHIVES  back to top

2005 / 2004 / 2003 / 2002 / 2001 / 2000 / 1999 / 1998


PRESS RELEASES back to top

2005 / 2004 / 2003 / 2002 / 2001 / 2000 / 1999 / 1998 / 1997 / 1996 / 1995


SPEECHES back to top


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New pages:

DG selection process

Public Symposium April 2005

WTO 10th Anniversary

  

New publications:

ITC: Portraits of Trade Development

Appellate Body Annual Report

The Future of the WTO

Appellate Body Repertory

World Trade Report
   

Updated:

Trade Capacity Building Database (updated 7 Feb 2005)

Ag talks backgrounder (updated 1 December 2004)

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