-The Hindu The WTO Panel reports are a pointer to the U.S. — the once undisputed trade hegemon — turning away from free trade and moving toward growing protectionism In a significant development in international trade law, four separate World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel reports have ruled that the tariffs of 25% and 10% on steel and aluminium, respectively, that the United States (U.S.) had imposed during the presidency of Donald Trump...
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FTAs: There must be no compromises on health -PT Jyothi Datta
-The Hindu Business Line The negotiations must be conducted in a transparent manner especially on issues regarding intellectual property Every time countries negotiate a trade deal, public health workers are forced to keep their ear to the ground, to ensure there is no trade-off on health. And that seems to be the case this time too, in the build-up to the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the United Kingdom. Leaked...
More »Trade pacts: India’s FTA thrust lacks clarity -Abhijit Das
-The Hindu FTAs are about pursuing economic goals. They should have little to do with achieving social or geo-strategic objectives After hurtling for many months towards finalising the India-UK FTA by Diwali, a substantial trade deal appears unlikely by this deadline. Instead of bemoaning this as a missed chance, it should be taken as an opportunity for introspecting India’s approach to FTAs, particularly with the developed countries such as the UK, European...
More »WTO talks face deadlock over decision on patent waiver, fisheries subsidies
-PTI/ The Hindu The four-day ministerial conference that started on June 12 was extended by a day to give negotiators more time to iron out differences and strike the deal Talks at the World Trade Organisation conference hit a fresh hurdle late on Thursday with a group of countries blocking a decision on two crucial issues, temporary patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccines and eliminating harmful subsidies to promote sustainable fishing, sources said. The...
More »NGOs protest Commerce Ministry inaction on WTO COVID-19 vaccine proposal -Jacob Koshy
-The Hindu They write to Prime Minister asking him to renegotiate the draft proposal to waive intellectual property rights on vaccines and highlight the need for active engagement to improve it A group of non governmental organisations has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to prod the Union Commerce Ministry into “proactively engaging” with a draft proposal at the World Trade Organisation-TRIPS in Geneva to waive intellectual property rights, mostly controlled by...
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