USTR Requests Comments for WTO Doha Development Agenda and WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding Negotiations
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has issued a notice stating that the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting written public comments by January 31, 2005 for the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU) negotiations.
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TPSC Seeks New or Updated Comments for On-Going DDA Negotiations
According to the USTR's notice, the next meeting of the WTO at the ministerial-level will be in December 2005. Work in 2005 is expected to focus on the technical issues necessary to move the agenda forward, particularly in the light of the WTO General Council's Decision of August 1, 2004, which contained frameworks for the agriculture and non-agricultural market access negotiations, further directions for a number of areas in the negotiation including services, and the launch of negotiations on trade facilitation. The TPSC is now providing a new opportunity for public comment to help guide U.S. participation in the on-going DDA negotiations.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 08/10/04 news, 04081008, for BP summary of the WTO's 147 member government's approval of the frameworks and other agreements aimed at enhancing chances for successfully completing the Doha negotiations.)
The TPSC states that this request for comment supplements four earlier requests for comments, and there is no need to resubmit comments previously provided to the TPSC. However, the TPSC states that new or updated submissions are welcome.
(See the USTR's notice for the subjects, etc. for which comments are requested.)
TPSC Seeks Comments on Proposals Made in the WTO Review of the DSU
The TPSC is seeking comments on any of the proposals made in the WTO review of the DSU, which can be found on the WTO's Web site at http://docsonline.wto.org/gen_search.asp?searchmode=simple in the document series "TN/DS/W." The TPSC notes that proposals have been submitted on almost every phase of the dispute settlement process.
See ITT's Online Archives or 03/20/02, 04/09/01, 06/09/00, and 04/03/00 news, 02032035, 01040664, (Ref:00060866B), and (Ref:00033166D), for BP summaries of these earlier requests for comments.
- comments are due by January 31, 2005
USTR contact - Office of WTO and Multilateral Affairs (202) 395-6843
USTR notice (FR Pub 12/09/04) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-27037.pdf