Posts filed under 'International Trade'
April 13th, 2008 at 12:47pm
Cambodia recently became the sixth nation to ratify the ASEAN Charter. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is an organization comprised of ten Southeast Asian nations whose aim is promote regional cooperation on economic, social and security issues. Drafted in late 2007 after over two years of deliberations, the Charter has come under intense criticism for not forcefully addressing human rights. The failure to address human rights is especially pertinent given the widely-documented human rights abuses of Myanmar (Burma), a member state since 1997. Its defenders argue that the Charter, though watered-down, still signifies an important development in the organization’s 40 year history. It will not go into effect until ratified by all ten member states.
For the full story, please click here.
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March 8th, 2008 at 01:46am
Members of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) Committee have asked US Trade Representative Susan Schwab to speed the development of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). CEOs of member companies gathered on March 3 to unveil recommendations for the ACTA and a set of in-country strategies aimed at fighting counterfeiting in Russia, China, the United States, the UK, Canada and Germany. BASCAP also announced a consumer education campaign which will inform the public of the damage caused by trade in counterfeit goods. The group also agreed to work with the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The ACTA is currently being developed by the US, Canada, the EU, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and Switzerland. ICC Secretary General Guy Sebban hopes that ACTA will become the new “gold standard” in IP enforcement. The meeting of BASCAP included top executives from GE, Microsoft, Pfizer, Unilever and other corporations. The ICC announcement is available here.
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March 5th, 2008 at 09:46pm
This past year, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) received 39,945 international trademark applications under the Madrid System for the international registration of trademarks. That number, which is an all-time high for applications under the Madrid System, is a 9.5% increase from the 2006 totals, and, according to WIPO Director General Dr. Kamil Idris, indicates that “the Madrid system has earned the trust and confidence of the business community as a reliable option for brands seeking export markets.”
The WIPO-administered Madrid System for the international registration of trademarks provides a trademark owner with a cost-effective and efficient way to have a mark protected across countries. The system allows owners to secure and maintain protection for their trademarks in up to 80 countries by filing one application, in a single language , with one set of fees.
Notably, China was again the most designated country in international trademark application, as a result of increased trade by foreign companies there.
To read more, click here.
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February 29th, 2008 at 11:41am
In a recent decision, the European Court of Justice opined that only cheeses bearing the protected denomination of origin (PDO) ‘Parmigiano-Reggiano’ could be sold under the denomination ‘Parmesan’. The decision has set a valuable precedent in the EU for numerous other cases where European geographical indications, worth billions of Euros and having cultural and historic value are threatened by counterfeiters around the world. In reaching this decision the court interpreted and elaborated the concept of ex officio protection of geographical indications in Europe.
For more information, click here.
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February 29th, 2008 at 12:22am
The Director General of the WTO outlined the new roadmap for the Aid-for-Trade program at a meeting of the Committee on Trade and Development on February 25. The roadmap emphasizes three points: monitoring, implementation, and greater involvement of developing nations.
Improved monitoring of increased trade flows and the direct impact of projects would allow goals to be set and progress to be measured. The Director General has asked the OECD and World Bank to consider what indexes and performance indicators could assist in measurement of progress. Following the advice of the Regional Reviews, implementation of programs will be emphasized by creation of national and sub-regional Aid-for-Trade Reviews in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. The Reviews would have the goal of highlighting successful strategies and creating incentives for implementation of programs. Finally, the roadmap proposes that developing nations take a more active role in the administration of the program as a way of more effectively mobilizing domestic and international constituencies.
Director General Pascal Lamy’s speech is available here.
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December 15th, 2007 at 03:17pm
EC President José Manuel Barroso announced an initiative by the Commission to enhance the opportunities for small businesses and to empower consumers by eliminating bottlenecks have limited the benefits of the single market. The package of statutory and regulatory reforms is aimed at reducing barriers to competition by small businesses, reforming markets that are not passing on the benefits of globalization to consumers, and empowering consumers with greater information and better means of pursuing collective redress against businesses. Original press release here.
The document entitled “A Single-Market for 21st Century Europe” sets out the Commission’s policy vision for ensuring that the benefits of globalization reach consumers. More details at EU Citizens’ Agenda.
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November 13th, 2007 at 06:24am
At the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment Special Session, Brazil and Peru proposed that biofuels and organic food products be considered environmental goods subject to tariff cuts or elimination in the Doha Round. The proposed interpretation stems from a desire for developing countries to leverage their competitive edge. Peru claims such classification would help combat poverty and drug trafficking in the Andean region. While many delegations supported the proposal, developed countries remain reserved about including agricultural products in trade-and-environment negotiations.
For the full story click here.
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April 29th, 2007 at 07:22pm
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously voted to lift its six-year-old ban on diamond exports from Liberia. As a result, Liberia will be joining the Kimberley Process.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22377&Cr=liberia&Cr1=
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March 16th, 2007 at 10:39pm
On March 13, Railroad Development Corporation (RDC) filed its Notice of Intent to Submit Claims to international arbitration against the Republic of Guatemala under the Central America-Dominican Republic-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). RDC’s press release noted that this action would be the first use of investor-state dispute resolution under Chapter 10 of CAFTA.
RDC’s press release can be found here.
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March 9th, 2007 at 10:21am
President Bush is scheduled to meet today with his Brazilian counterpart, Lula da Silva, in Sao Paulo to discuss biofuel production and the stalled WTO Doha Round talks, among other issues. Brazil is the first stop on President Bush’s Latin American tour, which will also include Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico. Major protest demonstrations have been organized for his arrival at each destination.
http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/vernoticia.do?id=10026&formato=HTML
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