Archive - Article

January 14th

TiSA: A Framework for Reregulating the Global Trade in Services?

8 December, 2016
The Huffington Post
Jude Kirton-Darling, Labour Member of the European Parliament for the North East of England, writes on International Trade in Services Agreement (TISA)

TiSA (Trade in Services Agreement) could become a major obstacle for governments willing to switch from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy

4 December, 2016
UNI Global Union

The new leaked text of the Annexes on Energy and Environmental Services for the Trade in Services Agreement was published by Wikileaks on the 3rd of December. TiSA is being negotiated by 22 countries representing 70% of global trade behind closed doors in a secret room in Geneva while all eyes are on Paris where UN public talks are in full swing to design a new climate regime.

Estafa climática: "Metas" no vinculantes para el clima pero normas si vinculantes en el comercio de servicios

4 December, 2015
The Huffington Post
El mundo entero está pendiente de los líderes de casi todos los países del mundo que se reúnen en París esta semana para establecer metas de reducción de emisiones de carbono a fin de enfrentar el cambio climático mundial. Desafortunadamente, representantes de 50 de los mismos gobiernos también están reunidos esta semana en Ginebra para negociar normas vinculantes que limitarán en gran medida la capacidad de los países para cumplir con esas metas.

For Press: Trade Union & NGO Experts' Contacts for MC10 WTO Ministerial meeting in Nairobi, Kenya December 15 – 18, 2015

14 December, 2015
Please find contact information for civil society representatives in attendance at WTO MC10, working in coordination with Our World is Not For Sale (OWINFS) global network and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

November 7th

La mayor ciudad de Suiza se declara “zona libre del TISA”

6 November, 2015
Public Services International (PSI)
La ciudad de Zurich ha votado a favor de declararse ‘zona libre del TISA’, una iniciativa que pone de manifiesto el creciente rechazo a las conversaciones sobre comercio secretas.

Food security: US, EU rule out permanent solution for public stock holding programmes

7 November, 2015
live mint
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for an outcome on public stockholding programmes for food security at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) ministerial meeting next month in Nairobi has almost been spiked after the US, the European Union, Canada and Australia ruled out any change from the existing interim arrangement.

The long arms of trade

4 November, 2015
India Together
As the countdown for the tenth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Nairobi, Kenya through 15-18 December commences, Shalini Bhutani emphasises the need for a cautious deliberation on how trade rules affect key sectors and all stakeholders.

November 4th

Away from the Glare, a Push for More Stringent IPR Protection at the WTO

2 November, 2015
The Wire
The United States and Switzerland want the right to file complaints for loss of trade ‘benefits’ even against countries whose intellectual property rights laws are fully consistent with international agreements

‘Indian and African leaders must not fail to protect interests of locals at upcoming WTO meet'

28 October, 2015
Down To Earth
In a join civil society statement Indian and African CSOs called upon Indian and African leaders not to fail to protect interests of locals at upcoming WTO meet.

Unconditional 17-year exemption from pharmaceuticals patents agreed

3 November, 2015
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Nov15/02)
The United States and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at the World Trade Organization have reached agreement ad referendum on a pharmaceutical patent exemption for a duration of 17 years, according to trade diplomats. With this exemption, the world’s poorest nations will not be obliged “to implement or apply” or “to enforce” patents as well as test data protection for pharmaceutical products until 1 January 2033.