Glacier FarmMedia – The impact of COVID-19’s second wave is continuing to cause uncertainty in global trade markets, but more markets are opening than closing. According to the World Trade Organization, between October 2019 and May 2020, G20 economies implemented 154 new trade or related measures, finding 95 to be trade-facilitating and 59 as trade-restrictive. […] Read more
Tag Archives wto — page 3
Trade moves influenced by COVID-19 around world
The WTO found more changes were made by G20 countries to facilitate than restrict trade
WTO committee looks at COVID-19 farm measures
Some regions bumped their agricultural subsidies during the pandemic
Glacier FarmMedia – Canada and other countries are calling for more transparency of farm measures taken by members during COVID-19. During a July 28 meeting of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Committee on Agriculture, some countries questioned how the international community can better monitor each country’s response to the pandemic through agricultural policies. Australia introduced […] Read more
U.S. seals demise of WTO appeals bench, trade officials say
Geneva | Reuters — The fate of the World Trade Organization’s top court was effectively sealed on Monday after the United States said it would not back a proposal to allow it to continue, trade officials said, although the WTO chief vowed to find a solution. The Trump administration has been blocking appointments to the […] Read more
WTO tussles over hard stop or phase-out of appeals system
Geneva | Reuters — The World Trade Organization (WTO) battled on Tuesday over whether to bring its Appellate Body to an abrupt halt or allow its adjudicators to settle a handful of pending cases, according to trade officials present at a meeting on the subject. The Trump administration has for more than two years been […] Read more
EU lawmakers clear U.S. beef imports but fault U.S. tariffs
Brussels | Reuters — European Union lawmakers approved an increase in U.S. beef imports to the EU on Thursday, a move likely to ease transatlantic tensions. But they also criticized tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on metal imports and a threat he has made to target EU cars and car parts. The European […] Read more
U.S. agriculture official calls trade tensions with China ‘new normal’
Buenos Aires | Reuters — The United States and China are still in the early stages of their trade war and tensions that arise from it should be considered the “new normal,” a U.S. Department of Agriculture official said on Wednesday. Washington has tried to hold China accountable for its trade practices and not sought […] Read more
Canada takes first step at WTO to challenge China’s canola ban
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada, locked in a major dispute with Beijing, is taking the first formal step at the World Trade Organization to challenge China’s decision to block Canadian canola exports, Trade Minister Jim Carr said Friday. China, angry at Canada’s detention of a top Huawei Technologies executive last year on a U.S. arrest […] Read more
U.S., Canada, 14 others slam EU farm product regulation at WTO
Geneva | Reuters — The United States and 15 other countries launched a broadside of criticism at the European Union on Thursday, saying its “hazard-based” approach to regulating pesticides and other “critical tools” used by farmers was damaging livelihoods worldwide. Their statement, submitted to the World Trade Organization, said the EU’s approach created great uncertainty […] Read more
Federal Tories critique lack of action on China
MarketsFarm — Federal Opposition House Leader Candice Bergen has publicly ripped the federal government’s lack of action to deal with rising barriers against Canada’s substantial ag exports to China. China halted imports of Canadian meat effective Tuesday, the latest on the list of Canadian products China has blacklisted since the December arrest of Huawei executive […] Read more
Trump simplifies reviews of genetically modified farm products
Council Bluffs | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday directing federal agencies to streamline the review process for agricultural biotechnology including genetically modified livestock and seeds. Trump signed the order during a visit to an ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The executive order, he said, would “speed up […] Read more
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