DOCSLIB.ORG

Apec Study Center

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Apec Study Center APEC STUDY CENTER The Future of the WTO and the International Trading System n 26 February 2002, the APEC Study Center and the OProgram in International Economic Policy, School for International and Public Affairs, sponsored a keynote address given by Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, the Spring 2002 Distinguished Speaker in International Economic Policy. Moderated and introduced by Professor Merit E. Janow, Director of the Program in International Economic Policy, Professors Jagdish Bhagwati and Joseph Stiglitz of Columbia University joined Dr. Supachai in extensive discussion following the address. Excerpts of their presentations are presented below. Co-sponsored by: Program in International Economic Policy, School for International and Public Affairs, Columbia University 2 APEC Study Center Merit E. Janow Director, Program in International Economic Policy, School of International and Public Affairs; Co-Director, APEC Study Center, Columbia University MERIT E. JANOW never been greater. Dr. Supachai comes Introductory Comments to this difficult task after a long and successful career as a scholar, diplomat he WTO is operating in an and politician. He served as Deputy environment of growing demands T Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce and cross-pressures: Developing in Thailand. He also spent time in the countries are urging the WTO to more financial sector and in academia. fully reflect their economic interests and concerns. Issues such as the envi- Professors Joseph Stiglitz and Jagdish ronment, health, labor and investment Bhagwati are with us to exchange views remain contentious both within nations with Dr. Supachai and help us think and between nations and much work together about the challenges facing the is necessary to advance international international trading system. Professor treatment of these issues. There is Stiglitz’s unique contribution in the also active discussion on the need for field of economics was recognized by greater cooperation between interna- the Nobel Prize last year and his contri- tional institutions like the World Bank butions to public policy have also been and the WTO and expanded efforts are enormous. His leadership has been bold underway (or at least under discussion) as Chairman of the Council of Economic on how to expand capacity building and Advisors and Chief Economist of the technical assistance programs toward World Bank at a time of economic developing countries. Some believe that crisis in Asia. policy makers need to push global eco- In the field of international trade, nomic integration still further and that Professor Bhagwati’s enormous contri- the WTO is the place where this can bution to economic scholarship and occur. Others believe that the world public policy cannot be overstated. He’s is still digesting the Uruguay Round the author of more than 200 articles and experimentation with broader and and 40 volumes. There’s no important deeper formal integration or liberaliza- aspect of this field that he has not tion should occur more slowly or, addressed. His famous wit and wise perhaps, elsewhere. We are here today counsel served the previous Director to examine these and other questions. General of the WTO, Arthur Dunkel, Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi will take whom he served as economic policy the helm as Director General of the advisor. He is a special advisor to WTO in September 2002. He does this the UN on globalization and external at a time when interest in the WTO has advisor to the WTO at present. The Future of the WTO and the International Trading System3 SUPACHAI PANITCHPAKDI of difficulties, disputes, and conflicts. Director General Designate, The GATT would try to mediate and World Trade Organization solve these disputes, but countries were not legally required to comply. Under entered the race for the position the DSM, the decisions of the final of Director General of the World I panel, the appellate body, must be put Trade Organization because I thought into practice. The WTO allows those that after fifty odd years, the time had who argue that they have been harmed come for an institution with the global to retaliate against those countries who responsibilities of the GATT, to have violated the agreement. Quotas may be a kind of global governance as well. We imposed against goods from violating need global governance at the major countries, as well as higher tariffs or international institutions, if we’re going surcharges. Normally, these violate to manage the process of globalization WTO rules, but if they are imposed to so that each and everyone can benefit. compensate for an injury agreed upon Today, we have 144 members, with by the appellate body, they become 28 countries waiting in the wings to legitimate. join the WTO. If we can facilitate The WTO is becoming a very accession procedures, membership significant organization with all kinds could expand to cover more than 170 of old and new responsibilities. Of countries in a few years time. Imagine course, if you look at the body of this global institution, with the vast the WTO, it’s a very small office. We responsibility of looking after the rules Asia used to be a place have about 540 staff members. If you of the trade game, policing violations of compare that with 7,000 people at the where trade expansion those who try to avoid their past com- World Bank, a few thousand at the IMF, mitments, trying to think of ways to was taken for granted, this is a very small unit with, again, a strengthen the rules in order to nurture very small budget of around $100 mil- but during the financial trade expansion in a way that is as free lion a year. That amounts to only part of and frictionless and as fair as possible meltdown, there was a the travel budget of the World Bank for each and everyone concerned. We contraction of around talk always about a level playing field. My friend, Mike Moore, who is You will hear a lot of talk about the the present director general, has been 30% to 35% per year field not being very level at all. If this going around with his hands open seek- for intra-Asian trade. is the case, then it is the WTO that will ing donations for the WTO. Everyone have to see to it that we level the field wants technical assistance, capacity —Supachai Panitchpakdi as much as we can. building, training courses. The WTO differs from other Look at China’s entry into the WTO. organizations and is culturally different At least 20 subsidiary committees at the from the GATT for two major reasons. WTO will have to work on all of China’s One is that every agreement under the commitments in cultural services, indus- auspices of the WTO is legally binding. try, intellectual property, environment, When governments sign onto any market access, legal infrastructure, etc. agreement with the WTO, they have to This will involve hundreds of people. enact new laws back home. For exam- On the Chinese side it involves thou- ple, to follow up on the Trade-Related sands of people because they have to Intellectual Property Rights Protection explain what things have been executed Agreement (TRIPs), there would be six according to their WTO commitment. or eight laws that would have to be put China will also need to train thousands into practice on patents, trademarks, of people every year. They will do it on copyrights, geographical indications, their own and with the collaboration of trade secrets, etc. institutions around the world but, of course, the WTO will have to help. The second major difference of the WTO is the Dispute Settlement Another new assignment is to Mechanism (DSM). Under the GATT, look into the interplay between trade, countries could have round after round finance and debt relief programs. We’ve seen in recent years that despite the fact 4 APEC Study Center always easy to reconcile with one another. Industrialized countries, for example, look at trade from different Supachai Panitchpakdi angles compared with developing coun- Director General Designate, tries. Tariffs in industrial sectors have World Trade Organization already been reduced to a very low level, around 3% on average for indus- trialized countries. If you talk about market access in the industrial sector for industrialized countries, there’s not much to do. You can go down to 2%, to 1%, to zero, but that is a small change. The developing countries, of course, have different sets of tariffs, mostly in the industrial sectors, ranging from 10% to 15%, even 20%. These are still quite substantial and should be reduced in due time. The interests of the advanced countries lie not only in the areas of negotiations to improve market access for industrial goods, but also in new areas like services, banking, finance, telecommunications, transportation, that we have created a lot of room for express delivery, management consul- more trade through hard negotiation, in tancy, etc. These, of course, are things a couple of months time all those gains that can be delivered more efficiently would be wiped out because of the fail- by the industrialized countries. Advanced ure to meet financial commitments. countries are also very mindful of con- Some countries have not been adopting sequences on the environment. The rational macroeconomic policies and European Union has even looked into have become an easy victim of preda- the trade consequences for their culture. tors—the so-called hedge fund managers. Cultural diversity is something to be Asia used to be a place where trade preserved, but it can also be used as a expansion was taken for granted, but pretext to block trade in certain areas, during the financial meltdown, there motion pictures, for example, and in was a contraction of around 30% to various services industries.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi Secretary-General of UNCTAD As of 1 September 2005
    UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT DR. SUPACHAI PANITCHPAKDI SECRETARY-GENERAL OF UNCTAD As OF 1 SEPTEMBER 2005 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Supachai Panitchpakdi began his under the supervision of Professor second four-year term as Secretary- Jan Tinbergen, the first Nobel laureate General of UNCTAD on 1 September in economics. 2009, following his unanimous Dr. Supachai began his professional confirmation by the United Nations career at the Bank of Thailand in 1974, General Assembly. working in the Research Department, Born in Bangkok on 30 May 1946, the International Finance Division and Dr. Supachai was educated there the Financial Institutions Supervision at St. Gabriel’s College and Triam Department. Udom School. He received his In 1986, Dr. Supachai was elected Master’s Degree in Econometrics, to the Thai Parliament and appointed Development Planning, and his Deputy Minister of Finance. PhD in Economic Planning and Development, at the Netherlands In 1988, he was appointed Director School of Economics (now known as and Advisor, and subsequently Erasmus University) in Rotterdam. President, of the Thai Military Bank. In 1973, Dr. Supachai completed In 1992, Dr. Supachai was appointed his doctoral dissertation on Human Senator, and that same year he Resource Planning and Development became Deputy Prime Minister, These actions — along with entrusted with oversight of the In 2001, he was appointed Visiting his successful leadership country’s economic and trade Professor at the International Institute of the UNCTAD XII policymaking. In this role he was for Management Development in Conference in Accra in actively involved in international Lausanne. He has published a 2008, his engagements trade policy, and represented number of books, including with world leaders, and Thailand at the signing ceremony Globalization and Trade in the New (2001) and his participation in major in Marrakech of the Uruguay Millennium China and WTO: Changing China, Changing global forums — have Round Agreement in 1994.
    [Show full text]
  • East Asian Bilateral Relations, 2Q 1999
    U.S.-ASEAN: Good News and Bad News Sheldon Simon here’s good news and bad news this quarter when it comes to U.S. relations with the Tvarious members of ASEAN. On the plus column, Philippine relations have improved markedly with the passage of the Visiting Forces Agreement, making possible military exercises between the two allies once again. U.S.-Indonesian relations are also on the upswing, given its sudden embrace of democracy. However, relations with America’s other formal ASEAN ally, Thailand, remain strained due to U.S. failure to support the bid by Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister to become Director General of the World Trade Organization. The Visiting Forces Agreement Since 1996, when the Philippine Justice Department ruled that there was no legal framework covering U.S. forces visiting the Philippines, no large-scale joint exercises have been held. Both President Fidel Ramos and his successor Joseph Estrada hoped to remedy this situation through the passage of a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Because the Philippine Senate insisted the VFA was a treaty, a two-thirds ratification vote was required. However, the Senate had also been the legislative body in 1991 that refused to renew the comprehensive bases agreement with Washington, leading to the U.S. Navy and Air Force exit from Subic Bay and Clark Field. The Senate’s composition in 1999, though somewhat less anti-U.S. forces, remained strongly nationalistic. Concern over being seen as too accommodating to the Americans led many senators to conceal their preference until the Senate actually voted to ratify 18-5 on May 27.
    [Show full text]
  • HONG KONG SESSION of the PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE on the WTO Hong Kong (China), 12 and 15 December 2005
    HONG KONG SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE ON THE WTO Hong Kong (China), 12 and 15 December 2005 Organized jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the European Parliament PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME Monday, 12 December 9.30 - 10 a.m. Inaugural session Speeches · Mr. Pier Ferdinando Casini, IPU President · Mr. Enrique Barón Crespo, Chairman of the Committee on International Trade, European Parliament · Mr. Pascal Lamy, WTO Director-General · Ms. Wuyun Qimuge, Vice-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples' Congress of China 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Working session Adoption of the agenda and other organizational issues The contribution of trade to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals Debate on substantive themes Substantive theme (a) Completing the Doha Development Agenda Rapporteurs · Mr. Luis Alberto Heber, MP (Uruguay) · Mr. Rupchand Pal, MP (India) · Ms. Ann McKechin, MP (United Kingdom), Representative of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association 12 noon - 1 p.m. Dialogue with Ministers and senior WTO Officials Panellists · Mr. John C. Tsang, Chairman of the Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference, Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China · Mr. Peter Mandelson, European Commissioner for External Trade · Mr. Yi Xiaozhun, Vice Minister of Commerce, China · Ambassador Amina Chawahir Mohamed (Kenya), Chairperson of the WTO General Council * * * 1 - 2.30 p.m. Reception hosted by the National People's Congress of China * * * 2.30 - 6 p.m. Working session Provisional Programme 2. Continuation of the debate on substantive theme (a), followed by Substantive theme (b) Coherence between Trade Policy and other Public Policy Challenges Rapporteurs · Mr. Toshikatsu Matsuoka, MP (Japan) · Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Diagnosis: Selection at the World Trade Organization
    3 Diagnosis: Selection at the World Trade Organization Conflict over leadership selection at the IMF and the World Bank did not result from flaws in the formal governance of those organizations. A combination of weighted voting and informal agreement that narrow majorities and formal votes were to be avoided enabled these organizations in the end to surmount conflict and produce new leadership. Restric- tions on selection that had been imposed by the dominant members, a product of their decision-making weight within the organization, were the principal source of conflict. Whether or not that dual monopoly—the convention—will persist is the central question for future leadership selection in these organizations. Conflict over leadership selection at the WTO in the 1990s had very different sources. Although the field of candidates in each selection might have been larger or, some would argue, more distinguished or expert, certainly there were few restrictions on the pool of candidates. Unlike the IFIs, lack of competition was not a problem at the WTO. Rather, active and open competition for the top position in the organization could not be resolved. Instead of consensus on a new director-general, the WTO found prolonged deadlock and increasingly bitter division. Conflict fi- nally produced a director-general with a shortened term in one instance (Renato Ruggiero, 1995) and in a second case, two directors-general with even shorter terms as part of a term-sharing agreement (Mike Moore and Supachai Panitchpakdi). Leadership selection is only one aspect of a broader crisis of decision making at the WTO. Solving recurrent conflict and stalemate over selection of the director-general will finally require a deeper reform of decision making at the organization.
    [Show full text]
  • Director General of the Wto: the Past, Present and Future
    DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE WTO: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE Rishabha Meena James J. Nedumpara Siddharth S. Aatreya Discussion Paper No. 9/2020 CENTRE FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT LAW Disclaimer The views expressed in this background paper represent those of the authors and DISCUSSION PAPER is a product of research conducted at the Centre for Trade and Investment Law, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. The views reflected in this paper cannot be attributed to the Government of India or any of its officials. DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE WTO: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE Abstract The Director-General of the WTO is, in many ways, the face of the institution and a spokesperson to the international community. The Director-General plays a vital role in maintaining the stature and profile of WTO as an international organization responsible for ensuring free trade. The Director-General has multiple roles—as a mediator, administrator, facilitator and negotiator. The role of the Director-General has transformed over the years with varying degrees of involvement in the negotiation and dispute resolution functions of the WTO. Interventions by the Director-General, however, have often proved useful to the development of the institution and the WTO legal order. Mr. Azevêdo’s recent resignation has triggered a widespread debate on who his successor should be and how the new Director-General should discharge his responsibilities, especially in light of many ongoing crises – most prominently, a weakened global trading order and COVID-19. In this context, this paper analyses the WTO legal framework on the role of the DG, and makes a comparative assessment of the demographic and qualifications-based markers for the appointment of the next Director-General.
    [Show full text]
  • 16 April 2004 MARRAKESH AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE
    WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO Reference: WLI/100 16 April 2004 MARRAKESH AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION DONE AT MARRAKESH ON 15 APRIL 1994 GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE 1994 CERTIFICATION OF MODIFICATIONS AND RECTIFICATIONS TO SCHEDULE LIX – SWITZERLAND-LIECHTENSTEIN TRANSMISSION OF CERTIFIED TRUE COPY I have the honour to furnish herewith a certified true copy of the Certification of Modifications and Rectifications to Schedule LIX - Switzerland-Liechtenstein, effective 17 June 2002. Supachai Panitchpakdi Director-General 04-1657 WT/Let/465 Centre William Rappard Rue de Lausanne 154 Case postale CH - 1211 Genève 21 Téléphone: (+41 22) 739 51 11 Fax: (+41 22) 731 42 06 Internet: http://www.wto.org SCHEDULES OF TARIFF CONCESSIONS TO THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE 1994 CERTIFICATION OF MODIFICATIONS AND RECTIFICATIONS SCHEDULE LIX - SWITZERLAND-LIECHTENSTEIN WHEREAS the CONTRACTING PARTIES to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1947 adopted, on 8 October 1991, a Decision on Procedures to Implement Changes in the Harmonized System (L/6905); WHEREAS in accordance with the provisions of the above-mentioned Decision, a draft containing modifications and rectifications to Schedule LIX – Switzerland-Liechtenstein was communicated to all Members of the World Trade Organization in document G/SECRET/HS96/10 (circulated on 16 January 1996) and G/SECRET/HS96/10/Corr.1 (circulated on 8 December 2000); IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the modifications and rectifications to Schedule LIX – Switzerland-Liechtenstein are established in conformity with the above-mentioned Decision. The annexed Schedule is effective as of 17 June 2002.
    [Show full text]
  • The World Trade Organization: Background and Issues
    Order Code 98-928 E CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web The World Trade Organization: Background and Issues Updated February 18, 2005 Lenore Sek Specialist in International Trade and Finance Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress The World Trade Organization: Background and Issues Summary The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on January 1, 1995, under an agreement reached during the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. The Uruguay Round was the last of a series of periodic trade negotiations held under the auspices of the WTO’s predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The WTO is the most important international organization that governs world trade. Decisions are made by the member countries. The WTO has 148 members and 31 observer governments (most of which have applied for membership), and members represent over 95% of world trade. The highest-level decisions are made at the Ministerial Conference, which is the meeting of trade ministers from member countries. The Ministerial Conference must meet at least every two years. The General Council is the body of national representatives that oversees the day-to-day operations of the WTO. The General Council meets approximately monthly. It also meets in two other capacities: it reviews national trade policies, and it oversees the dispute settlement process. Under the General Council are numerous committees, working groups, and other bodies. Assisting the members is a WTO Secretariat that numbers about 600 and is located in Geneva, Switzerland. The top official of the Secretariat is Director- General Supachai Panitchpakdi of Thailand, whose three-year term began on September 1, 2002.
    [Show full text]
  • World Economic Situation and Prospects 2008
    World Economic Situation and Prospects 2008 asdf United Nations New York, 2008 Th is report is a joint product of the Department of Economic and Social Aff airs (DESA), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the fi ve United Nations regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacifi c (ESCAP), and Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)). It provides an overview of recent global economic performance and short-term prospects for the world economy and of some key global economic policy and development issues. One of its purposes is to serve as a point of reference for discussions on economic, social and related issues taking place in various United Nations entities in 2008. For further information, please contact: In New York In Geneva Mr. Sha Zukang Mr. Supachai Panitchpakdi Under-Secretary-General Secretary-General Department of Economic United Nations Conference on and Social Aff airs Trade and Development Room DC2-2320 Palais des Nations, Room E-9050 United Nations, New York 10017, U.S.A. 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Phone: (212) 963-5958 Phone: (41) (22) 917-5806/5634 Fax: (212) 963-1010 Fax: (41) (22) 917-0465 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] iii Executive Summary The global outlook The world economy facing uncertain times After several years of robust growth, the world economy is now facing some serious chal- lenges in sustaining its brisk pace. Th e end of the housing bubble in the United States of America, as well as the unfolding credit crisis, the decline of the United States dollar vis- à-vis other major currencies, the persistence of large global imbalances and high oil prices will all threaten the sustainability of global economic growth in the coming years.
    [Show full text]
  • 2012 High-Level Segment New York, 2 – 9 July
    28 June 2012 2012 High-level Segment New York, 2 – 9 July Draft programme Monday, 2 July Morning session 9:00 am – 9:15 am Adoption of agenda Location: ECOSOC Chamber NLB 9:15 am – 10:00 am Opening of the High-level Segment Miloš Koterec, President of ECOSOC Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, President of the 66 th Session of the General Assembly 10:00 am – 11:00 am Keynote addresses Sauli Niinisto, President of Finland Juan Somavía, Director-General of the International Labour Organization Tan Sri Dato’ Azman Shah Haron, President of the International Organization of Employers Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation Danielle Fong, Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder LightSail Energy 11:00 am – 12: 00 pm Policy messages from Annual Ministerial Review preparatory meetings Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting - Kyoto, Japan, 7 December 2011 Joe Nakano, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Africa Regional Meeting – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25 March 2012 Ahmed Shide, State Minister of Finance and Economic Development Latin America and Caribbean Regional Meeting – Montevideo, Uruguay – 27 April 2012 Eduardo Brenta, Minister of Labour and Social Security Europe (Turkey) Presentation of National Consultation on Youth Employment in 11 European countries Faruk Celik, Minister of Labour and Social Security Policy message from the Partnerships event David Arkless, President, Corporate and Government Affairs, Manpower Group 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Annual Ministerial Review: National voluntary presentation Algeria Abdelkader Messahel, African Affairs Minister Moderator: Conny Czymoch, Moderator, Phoenix television, Germany 1:15 pm – 2:45 pm Luncheon for heads of delegation hosted by the President of ECOSOC.
    [Show full text]
  • KINGDOM of THAILAND (Country Profile) Land Area: 513,115 Sq. Km
    KINGDOM OF THAILAND (Country Profile) Land area: 513,115 sq. km. (198,114 sq. mi.); about the size of Texas. Population: 61 million (1996) 75% Thai, 14 % Chinese, 11% others. Religion: 95% Buddhist (Theravada), 4% Muslim, Christian, Hindu, other. Language: Thai (official language). Head of State: King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX (since June 1946) Prime Minister: Chuan Leekpai (since November 1997) Thailand is one of the few countries in Asia which has never been colonized (occupied by Japan from 1942-45), and the traditional founding date of the country is 1238. Absolute monarchy was abolished in 1932 in a bloodless coup in favor of a constitutional monarchy, but the highly revered King has often played a calming role in Thai politics in times of crisis. Thailand was ruled by a series of military governments interspersed with brief period of democracy until the 1992 elections. The bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (a 253-member appointed body which will be phased into a 200-member elected body in March 2000; members serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (currently has 391 members but will become a 500-member body after the next elections; members elected to serve four-year terms). It seems likely that PM Chuan will wait until shortly before the dissolution of the lower house due in November to call for elections. If economic recovery continues this year, PM Chuan's reigning Democrat Party (DP) stands a good chance of emerging as the largest winner in the elections. However, the DP may face a struggle to form a government if other parties decide to mount a blocking campaign.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction - Stability Amidst Turmoil
    Introduction - Stability Amidst Turmoil Item Type Article; text Citation 20 Ariz. J. Int'l & Comp. L. 150 (2003) Publisher The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (Tucson, AZ) Journal Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law Rights Copyright © The Author(s) Download date 30/09/2021 21:47:44 Item License http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ Version Final published version Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/659155 150 Arizona Journal of International and ComparativeLaw Vol 20, No. 2 2003 PART ONE: INTRODUCTION STABILITY AMIDST TURMOIL Implacable foes and inveterate supporters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) could agree on at least one point about the past year: 2002 was a tumultuous one in trade. Consider a few of the events, wholly apart from developments in the emerging body of international trade jurisprudence (reviewed below), that occurred in the last quarter of 2002: In September: Thailand's Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi took the helm of the WTO, becoming its third Director-General (with a term expiring in September 2005), following Italy's Renato Ruggiero (who served from January 1995 to September 1999), and New Zealand's Mike Moore (who served from September 1999 to September 2002).2 In October: A WTO panel met for the first time to consider complaints from eight WTO Members (Brazil, China, the European Union (EU), Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, and Switzerland) against American steel safeguard tariffs, ranging from eight to thirty percent, imposed by President Bush in array of exemptions from the measures granted by March 2002, despite3 an the United States.
    [Show full text]
  • ITN October 8, 2003
    Investment Law and Policy Weekly News Bulletin, October 11, 2003 Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development: www.iisd.org --------------------- Contents at a Glance: --------------------- Negotiations Watch 1. EU insists investment issue is not off the WTO agenda 2. NAFTA Ministers issue statements, guidance on several aspects of arbitration 3. Transparency International ranks host governments on perceived corruption 4. ASEAN bloc pursues deeper economic integration in order to compete with China on FDI Arbitration Watch 5. US oil company won damages in previously unreported 1999 investment treaty claim against Kazakhstan ------------------- Negotiations Watch: ------------------- 1. EU insists investment issue is not off the WTO agenda, By Trineesh Biswas in Geneva Key demandeurs of a WTO investment agreement say that more time is needed before the place of investment in the Doha Development Round will be clarified. At last month's Ministerial Conference in Cancun, the European Union had signaled a willingness to drop its demands for a WTO agreement on investment at the 11th hour of negotiations. However, in a more recent statement, the EU has reiterated its long-standing interest in the issue. A September 25 statement released by the European Commission notes that: "Although the Commission indicated its willingness to reduce the [Singapore issues] agenda at Cancun, this offer was not accepted and therefore does not constitute any formal or informal commitment on behalf of the EU." The Commission warns that "the
    [Show full text]