(see especially Third World Network, Focus on the Global South, Our World is Not for Sale - WTO page, and the People, Trade and the Environment bulletins for update reports on the current state of WTO negotiations.)

WTO Trial Starts... An appeal for your support and solidarity for two trials in Montreal's Municipal Court (Oct. 13, 2004 / act-mtl) "...There will be four separate group trials, a French trial for Montreal-area protesters, and three English trials, for Montreal-area anglophone protesters, for protesters from the Maritimes and USA, and for protesters from Ontario to BC. The French trial for Montreal-area protesters will begin next week, at Municipal Court [775 rue Gosford], between October 18-22. Several protesters will be defending themselves against the charges, and will be actively making motions and cross-examining witnesses...."

WTO proposes elimination of subsidies for farm exports (July 16, 2004 / AFP) "The World Trade Organisation (WTO) proposed that its 147 member countries eliminate subsidies as it sought to broker a compromise in deadlocked global trade talks by the end of the month...."; Un effort pour Doha (18 juillet 2004 / AFP) "L'Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC) a proposé hier d'éliminer les subventions versées aux exportations agricoles, dans un projet de compromis visant à relancer les négociations commerciales multilatérales du cycle de Doha avant l'échéance de fin juillet...."; Ottawa Has 'Serious Concerns' Over WTO Draft Text (July 16, 2004 / Reuters) "...Dairy, egg and poultry farmers, whose production is limited under marketing agreements and is also protected by import tariffs, said they feared the WTO draft's call for tariff cuts could devastate their industries...."

IMPORTANT Information for SEATTLE WTO arrestees - (time sensitive) (May 6, 2004)

Diversité culturelle - Entre l'OMC et l'UNESCO (26 mars, 2004 / Le Devoir) Jacques Parizeau est prêt à subordonner tous les droits démocratiques qui portent sur l'économie au processus decisionel de l'OMC... sauf la culture.

Hong Kong WTO Meeting Won't Take Place This Year (Feb. 12, 2004 / Dow Jones) "The decision makes it almost certain that the so-called Doha round of trade talks won't be concluded by its end-2004 deadline...."

Little hope of progress in crucial WTO round expected at December meeting (Dec. 7, 2003 / AFP)

Campaigners Plan Global Week Against WTO (Dec. 5, 2003 / One World)

WTO Chief Backs Fresh Talks Next Month (Nov. 22, 2003 / Reuters)

WTO rules against steel duties (Nov. 11, 2003 / Washington Post)

Victory In Cancun (Oct. 17, 2003 / ZNet)

Cancun: Why it's good that the trade talks broke down (Sept. 16, 2003 / Globe&Mail)

Organisation mondiale du commerce - Échec fracassant de la conférence de Cancún (15 sept. 2003 / Le Devoir); WTO talks collapse (Sept. 15, 2003 / CanWest); WTO's Cancun conference collapses amid deep North-South rift (Sept. 15, 2003 / AFP); Failed Cancun Talks Show New Trade Power (Sept. 15, 2003 / Reuters); Rich accused of overplaying hand (Sept. 15, 2003 / AFP); Poor countries declare victory in collapse of WTO trade talks (Sept. 15, 2003 / CP)

Police Non-Violence a Break From the Past (Sept. 15, 2003 / Utne Reader); America's Two Faces at Trade Meeting (Sept. 14, 2003 / Utne Reader); Cancun Dispatch: 9/13 (Sept. 13, 2003 / Utne Reader); more Utne articles about WTO at: Utne Tradewatch

WTO Meetings collapse ; NGOs celebrate, speak out about WTO's failure (Sept. 14, 2003 / Cancun Indymedia); USA and EU sink the WTO round in Cancun (Sept. 14, 2003 / Greenpeace)

WTO ministerial conference ends in failure (Sept. 14, 2003 / AFP); WTO Trade Talks Collapse in Mexico (Sept. 14, 2003 / AP)

Agriculture deadlock eases at WTO talks (Sept. 13, 2003 / National Post)

Mouvement citoyen international - De l'antimondialisation à l'altermondialisation (13 sept. 2003 / Le Devoir); Des ministres à Cancún (13 sept. 2003 / Le Devoir); Conférence de Cancún - Riches et pauvres croisent le fer (13 sept. 2003 / Le Devoir)

Protest rallies in city (Sept. 13, 2003 / The Independent, Bangladesh); Hundreds to rally in Bangkok (Sept. 13, 2003 / Bangkok Post); Melbourne protesters march against WTO (Sept. 13, 2003 / ABC)

Protestors strip naked at WTO (Sept. 13, 2003 / Weekend Australian); Protesters storm WTO conference venue (Sept. 13, 2003 / Business Standard - New Delhi); Villagers caught in GM food battle (Sept. 12, 2003 / CNN); Protestors disrupt US briefing at WTO (Sept. 12, 2003 / AFP)

Trade brawl erupts at Cancun meet (Sept. 13, 2003 / Philippine Star); Poor nations suspect WTO outcome already decided (Sept. 13, 2003 / Straits Times); Canada Says 'Unclear' Whether Cancun Deal Possible (Sept. 12, 2003 / Reuters); Agriculture minister not optimistic of WTO deal on farm subsidies (Sept. 12, 2003 / CP)

Après la mort d'un manifestant - L'OMC se met au travail à Cancún (12 sept. 2003 / AFP)

WTO approves entry of Nepal, Cambodia (Sept. 12, 2003 / Press Trust of India)

Farmer who got a hearing by paying the ultimate price (Sept. 12, 2003 / The Guardian); 'Civil Society' scores media coup at WTO meeting (Sept. 12, 2003 / Cancun Indymedia); Activists must follow the money (Sept. 12, 2003 / The Guardian)

The South is rising at the WTO's Cancun conference (Sept. 12, 2003 / AFP); Protesters clash with police at WTO meet (Sept. 12, 2003 / AP); Rich and Poor Square Off Over Farm Trade in Cancun (Sept. 11, 2003 / Reuters)

Cinquième conférence ministérielle de l'OMC - Cancún dans le bruit des manifestations (11 sept., 2003 / Le Devoir)

Indian farmers stage massive anti-WTO protest (Sept. 10, AFP)

South Korean activist kills himself, others injured in Cancun protest (Sept. 10, 2003 / AFP); S. Korean Man Kills Himself at WTO Protests (Sept. 10, 2003 / Reuters); Farmer commits suicide at protests (Sept. 11, 2003 / Guardian)

Groups fear for Crowns (Sept. 10, 2003 / Regina Leader Post)

Cancun Braces for Massive WTO Protests (Sept. 10, 2003 / AP); Rich and poor face off at WTO trade talks in Mexico (Sept. 10, 2003 / CP)Clashes mark start of key WTO talks (Sept. 10, 2003 / AFP); Protesters Vow to Derail WTO Meetings (Sept. 9, 2003 / AP); Security Tight at Tough Trade Talks in Cancun (Sept. 9, 2003 / Reuters)

Flaw in WTO Generic Drug Deal (Sept. 9, 2003 / Star Phoenix); Trade winners, losers (Sept. 9, 2003 / Gazette)

Foire des alternatives à Montréal - Pour une mondialisation différente des discussions de Cancún (8 sept., 2003 / Le Devoir)

Faut-il brûler l'OMC? (8 sept., 2003 / Le Devoir) - argument réformist de Zaki Laïdi

Class War Meets Club Med at WTO in Cancun (Sept. 5, Reuters)

Canada pessimistic about substantial progress at WTO meeting (Sept. 4, 2003 / AFP)

US threatens to pursue own agenda if WTO fails (Sept. 4, 2003 / AFP)

Bove barred from Mexico summit (Sept. 1, 2003 / BBC)

US cools expectations, analysts say world trade deadline looks dead (Sept. 1, 2003 / AFP)

WTO OKs Cheaper Generic Drugs for Poor Nations (Sept. 1, 2003 / Reuters); WTO drug deal brings farm issues into focus ahead of Cancun conference (Sept. 1, 2003 / AFP)

China goes to Cancun with unambitious agenda of avoiding new concessions (Sept. 2, 2003 / AFP)

Mexico vows to fight agricultural subsidies (Sept. 1, 2003 / AFP); India says developed world must cut farm subsidies to avoid WTO deadlock (Aug. 29, 2003 / AFP); WTO Likely To Delay Farm Outline Accord To Mar 2004-Kyodo (Aug. 26, 2003 / DowJones)

WTO officials race against the clock ahead of Cancun summit(Aug. 24, 2003 / AFP)

Mouvements sociaux et répression policière - Plus de 1700 arrestations à caractère politique au Québec depuis 1999 (7 août, 2003 / Le Devoir)

Après Tokyo et Charm el-Cheikh, Montréal - Doha entre le Nord et le Sud (2 août, 2003 / Le Devoir)

OMC: la libéralisation agricole vers un échec (2 août, 2003 / La Presse)

Why the media love to hate globalization protesters (August 2, 2003 / Gazette)

OMC: différents groupes font le point (1 août, 2003 / PC); Les activistes libérés, en attendant d'être jugés (31 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir); Groups question police tactics in WTO protests (July 31, 2003 / NTR); 350 personnes arrêtées pendant le mini-sommet de l'OMC - L'UFP veut une enquête sur l'action policière (1 août, 2003 / PC)

Violence, abuse of free speech stifles useful debate about WTO (July 31, 2003 / Vancouver Sun); Vandals wreck protest's cause (July 30, 2003 / StarPhoenix); Misguided anger (July 30, 2003 / Ottawa Citizen); Weak protests are good news (July 30, 2003 / The Gazette)

Poor nations might boycott next time: Oxfam official (July 31, 2003 / The Gazette); Pettigrew admits WTO has way to go (July 30, 2003 / Broadcast News); 'Signs of hope' seen for WTO agriculture reforms (July 30, 2003 / The Gazette); WTO meeting ends in Montreal with optimism, but calls for more compromise (July 30, 2003 / CP); Positive signs on divisive farm trade issue emerge from WTO informal talks (July 30, 2003 / AFP); Ag Officials Make Headway at WTO Meeting (July 30, 2003 / AP); Argentina Says WTO Must Agree Market Access Soon (July 30, 2003 / Reuters); Mexico WTO Envoy: Drug Patent Deal Near (July 30, 2003 / AP); OMC: pas de déblocage sur l'agriculture (30 juillet, 2003 / PC)

Anti-WTO Protesters Claim Victory Despite Massive Arrests (July 29, 2003 / IPS); Activists Target WTO Meeting (July 29, 2003 / Reuters)

WTO protests fizzle. 300 rally, three arrested (July 30, 2003 / The Gazette); Calm after the storm (July 30, 2003 / The Gazette); Protesters back out on Montreal streets as WTO meeting continues (July 29, 2003 / CP); Second day of WTO protests peaceful; many activists appear in Montreal court (July 29, 2003 / CP); Four from Sask. held in WTO protest (July 29, 2003 / StarPhoenix); WTO causing bus woes (July 29, 2003 / The Gazette)

Lower farm subsidies urged (July 29, 2003 / CP); WTO meeting vital to economy (July 29, 2003 / The Province)

OMC: l'UPA appuyée par la ministre Gauthier (28 juillet, 2003 / PC); Les producteurs agricoles plaident leur cause (29 juillet, 2003 / PC)

La police vide la rue (29 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir); WTO foes promise more confrontations. More than 230 arrested (July 29, 2003 / The Gazette); Mtl police arrest about 200 people amid outbursts of violence against WTO (July 28, 2003 / CP); More than 200 arrested at Montreal WTO protest (July 29, 2003 / CanWest); Protest turns into a glass-guzzler (July 29, 2003 / The Gazette); After day of riots, protesters vow to return (July 29, 2003 / Edmonton Journal); WTO-related meeting opens to 100 arrests, smashed shop windows (July 28, 2003 / AFP); WTO Meeting in Montreal Draws Protests (July 28, 2003 / AP); Premières arrestations (28 juillet, 2003 / Cyberpresse); Des centaines de manifestants arrêtés(29 juillet, 2003 / Cyberpresse); Première manifestation sans incident(29 juillet, 2003 / Cyberpresse)

Hundreds of activists protest three-day WTO meeting in Montreal (July 27, 2003 / CP); Hundreds gather in downtown Montreal to protest three-day WTO meeting (July 27, 2003 / CP)

Les militants attendent l'OMC de pied ferme (26 juillet, 2003 / PC); Un contre-la-montre à Montréal pour l'OMC (26 juillet, 2003 / La Presse)

L'OMC à Montréal : chaque camp se prépare (26 juillet, 2003 / Radio-Canada); Police, protesters and businesses prepare for WTO meetings (July 26, 2003 / CBC)

Ottawa ready to open up farm sector to foreigners (July 26, 2003 / Globe&Mail); OMC: Espoir déblocage en agriculture (26 juillet, 2003 / La Presse); Compromise on agriculture key to WTO talks in Montreal: observers (July 26, 2003 / Gazette)

Montreal prepares for WTO protests (July 26, 2003 / Globe&Mail); WTO talks to choke downtown (July 26, 2003 / Gazette); Protesters claim victory ahead of WTO talks (July 26, 2003 / Gazette); Pettigrew takes aim at activists (July 26, 2003 / Gazette) "I believe it is going to be a very exciting meeting," says Corporate Pett.....; Pettigrew rails at trade protesters (July 26, 2003 / National Post). Also, see the 'protester poll' at Canada.com (only today - July 27).

Montreal WTO Mini-Ministerial deemed undemocratic (July 26, 2003 / CNW) - Press release from the Common Front on the World Trade Organisation (CFWTO); en français: http://www.newswire.ca/releases/July2003/26/c5662.htmlLa mini-ministérielle de l'OMC à Montréal, jugée antidémocratique

Deal on medicines for poor countries taking shape (July 26, 2003 / News International) "The complication is that we don't only have governments, as is usual, but we have private industry at the table," European Union trade negotiator Carlo Trojan told journalists as a meeting of the World Trade Organisation's General Council got underway.... [Hey - if industry gets to sit at the table, what about some seats for Africa's 30 million HIV victims?]

Mini-sommet de l'organisation mondiale du commerce - Les militants antimondialisation veulent faire dérailler la rencontre (26 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir)

L'OMC à Montréal - Pettigrew interpelle les pays pauvres (26 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir); Perspectives - De la démocratie à l'OMC (26 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir) - deux articles d'Éric Desrosiers

Réunion de l'OMC : Pettigrew est confiant (25 juillet, 2003 / Radio Canada)

Ministers Urged to Speed WTO Talks in Montreal (July 25, 2003 / Reuters) "Ministers must be ready to compromise in Canada next week on troubled world trade talks in virtually a last chance for a breakthrough before a World Trade Organization summit in September, officials said on Friday...."; Trade Ministers to Seek Common Ground in Montreal (July 25, 2003 / Reuters); Hiranuma stresses import of WTO meeting (July 26, 2003 / Japan Times)

Des manifestants altermondialistes entendent perturber une réunion de l'OMC (25 juillet, 2003 / PC); Battle lines drawn over WTO meetings (July 25, 2003 / CBC Montreal); Pettigrew tells anti-trade protesters they're hurting developing nations (July 25, 2003 / CP)

WTO meeting will be a gauge of problems and progress ahead (July 25, 2003 / Gazette)

RP leads new WTO bloc of developing nations (July 25, 2003 / Philippine Star) In a joint statement, the bloc condemned the fact that their domestic markets "have been deluged by foreign competition that are heavily supported by trade distorting export competition and domestic support measures to the extent that even tariff, their only available instrument of defense and protection, are being dismantled in the guise of free trade...."

Farmers hold protest demonstration against WTO (July 25, 2003 / Dawn)

U.S. Sees Slow Progress On WTO Farm Talks (July 25, 2003 / AFP)

WTO must commit at talks: Pettigrew (July 24, 2003 / Globe & Mail) "... the Mexican meeting is at risk of failure because developing countries, which dominate its membership, are angry about the lack of progress in agricultural trade and other issues. A collapse of the talks could undermine the legitimacy of the eight-year-old WTO.... Pettigrew said the WTO talks could expand to cover more controversial topics, such as investment and competition policy rules if Montreal goes well...."

Mini ministérielle de l'OMC: interdire le brevetage des semences et définir l'eau comme un droit humain, affirme Développement et Paix (24 juillet, 2003 / CNW-Telbec); WTO Mini-Ministerial: Ban Patents on Seeds and Affirm Water as a Human Right, says Development and Peace (July 24, 2003 / CNW-Telbec)

Convocation Médias - L'Agroalimentaire se mobilise (24 juillet, 2003 / CNW-Telbec)

Greenpeace crée une zone interdite à l'OMC devant l'édifice des Nations Unies, lieu de naissance du Protocole sur la biosécurité (24 juillet, 2003 / CNW-Telbec); Greenpeace creates WTO Free Zone in front of the birthplace of the Biosafety Protocol (July 24, 2003 / CNW-Telbec)

Australia to revive farm trade talks (July 24, 2003 / AFP) "[Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile] said the Montreal meeting from July 28-30 was probably the last chance to kickstart the reform process before the next formal WTO meeting in Cancun, Mexico, in September...."

L'OMC respecterait la lettre de ses accords, pas l'esprit (24 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir)

Anti ou altermondialisation? (24 juillet, 2003 / Voir)

The charm offensive (July 24, 2003 / The Hour) / Le meilleur des mondes? (24 juillet, 2003 / Voir) - Interview with Pierre Pettigrew / Entrevue avec Pierre Pettigrew.

Ottawa maintient son approche face aux OGM (24 juillet, 2003 / PC) "...Selon M. Pettigrew, les pays qui ferment la porte ou restreignent le commerce de ces produits ne se basent pas sur des preuves scientifiques mais sur l'émotion et des préjugés...."

Can anarchists be organized? (July 24, 2003 / The Gazette)

Des groupes de la société civile plaident pour les pays pauvres (24 juillet, 2003 / PC) / Montreal WTO Mini-Ministerial - Civil Society Groups to WTO: "Address Concerns of Poor Countries" (July 24, 2003 / Telbec)

Chile's leader concerned WTO might talks stall (July 23, 2003 / Globe&Mail)

Feu vert définitif pour la législation européenne sur la traçabilité des OGM (23 juillet, 2003 / AFP)

U.S. likely violating WTO trade rules with farm subsidies - expert (July 23, 2003 / CP); More programs could be found inconsistent with WTO rules: Ottawa urged to clarify rules through litigation (July 23, 2003 / Canada Newswire)

Canada says WTO will rule on US wood spat August 29 (July 23, 2003 / AFP) - Interesting... the ruling was supposed to have been announced July 22... just prior to the Montreal mini-ministerial. To some of the more cynical observers (e.g. me), this suggests that ruling may not be as favorable to Canada as anticipated... (and thus delayed so as not to expose Corporate Pett to negative political fallout around mini-ministerial time...).

Globalization Fight Continues (July 22, 2003 / Toronto Star) "As protesters gather next week in Montreal at a meeting of world trade ministers, they can be forgiven for feeling more than a vague sense of déjà vu. Front and center on the World Trade Organization's agenda will be a proposal for a new Multilateral Agreement on Investment (or MAI)...."

Russia in final phase of talks to join WTO: Kasyanov (July 22, 2003 / AFP) - "One of the main sticking points has been Russia's reluctance to liberalize its electricity and gas sector, which still enjoy massive Soviet-era subsidies that keep domestic energy prices low. Talks on liberalizing service sectors such as finance, telecommunications and transportation, as well as agriculture, have also proven difficult....Trade and Economic Development Minister German Gref said after the last round of negotiations that Russia has fulfilled 70 percent of criteria required to join the WTO and accession can be expected in 2006...."

EU foreign ministers determined WTO conference should succeed (July 22, 2003 / AFP) ..."The margin of manoeuvre offered by the CAP reform could only be used... on condition of equivalent agricultural concessions from the EU's WTO partners," the ministers said....

Les États-Unis entrouvrent la porte aux génériques (19 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir)

Mini-sommet de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce - Les manifestants anti-OMC seront peu nombreux mais actifs (19 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir)

Oxfam Response to Draft Cancun Declaration: Text fails to deliver on development agenda (July 18, 2003 / Oxfam). See: Leaked Draft Version of Cancun Declaration

Mini-sommet de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce - Le Sheraton prend le relais du Reine-Elizabeth (19 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir); En bref: Pas d'OMC au Reine-Elizabeth (18 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir); La réunion de l'OMC déménage à l'hôtel Sheraton (18 juillet, 2003 / La Presse); WTO meeting to move (July 18, 2003 / The Gazette); WTO talks at new site (July 18, 2003 / Globe&Mail); WTO meeting forced moved to another Montreal hotel due to security fears (July 17, 2003 / CP); WTO meeting to change venues due to security fears (July 18, 2003 / CBC)

WTO publishes draft for Cancun in bid to spur stalled trade talks (July 18, 2003 / AFP)

WTO Chief Says World Trade Talks Bogged Down (July 14, 2003 / Reuters) "...it seems increasingly likely that the round, launched at the end of 2001, will have to be extended -- some say by two to three years...."

WTO Rules U.S. Steel Duties Illegal (July 12, 2003 / AP) ; American Lawmakers Deride WTO Steel Panel Ruling (July 11, 2003 / Reuters); US to appeal WTO steel decision, maintain tariffs (July 11, 2003 / AFP); Un nouveau revers pour Washington - L'OMC condamne la surtaxe américaine sur l'acier (12 juillet, 2003 / AFP)

Towards Cancun WTO Ministerial: ABANDONING AGRICULTURE (July 7, 2003 / Devinder Sharma)

No Red Sea Parting for WTO at Sharm El Sheikh (July 6, 2003 / ASED) - by Aziz Choudry

EU trade ministers told to drop WTO expansion plans (July 4, 2003 / WDM) "Over 70 European organisations today (Friday 4 July) demanded that European trade ministers, meeting in Italy this weekend, drop plans to launch a raft of new free trade agreements at September's World Trade Organisation Ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico...."

Les producteurs de bois d'oeuvre retiennent leur souffle (3 juillet, 2003 / Le Devoir) (voir aussi l'itème du 28 mai ci-dessous); Wood firms braced for bad news (July 3, 2003 / CP)

Balam Nah Forest Declaration on the WTO (July 3, 2003 / Balam Nah)

Bush has chance to prove US commitment to Africa (July 3, 2003 / Business Day) South African perspective on Bush's upcoming visit to Africa. Excerpt: "...[U.S.] subsidies threaten to wipe out the livelihoods of 10-million west Africans reliant on cotton production. At 4bn, US cotton subsidies alone surpass by 60% the gross domestic product of Burkina Faso. The steady collapse in world prices induced by subsidisation has reversed the sterling success achieved by poor west and central African countries to make their cotton industries among the most competitive in the world. Thanks to subsidies, in the past four years the region recorded a 31% decrease in export revenue even though its production rose by 14%. It is estimated that the decline in cotton prices has cost west Africa about $200m, far in excess of what it receives in US aid and debt relief...."; U.S. farm policy sows ire in Africa (July 2, 2003 / Washington Times)

USTR Says Refiled WTO Complaint on Canada Wheat (July 2, 2003 / Reuters) "The United States has refiled its case accusing the Canadian Wheat Board of illegally subsidizing shipments after the World Trade Organization found technical errors in the original complaint, a U.S. government official said on Wednesday...."

OGM: l'Europe adopte une législation rigoureuse (3 juillet, 2003 / LeDevoir); New EU biotech laws inadequate: US official (July 2, 2003 / AFP) "Washington will not abandon a WTO complaint over an EU ban on genetically-modified foodstuffs despite new legislation that paves the way for the moratorium to be lifted, a US official said..."; La lutte des agriculteurs américains (3 juillet, 2003 / LeDevoir); Adoption aujourd'hui d'une législation sur l'étiquetage et la traçabilité - L'Europe s'ouvre aux OGM (2 juillet, 2003 / LeDevoir)

Contact me (Eric Squire) at: n9eric@angelfire.com