Past Programs
Agreements and Treaties - 2008
Simon Crean to gather support for restarting Doha talks
18/11/2008
Australia's Trade Minister, Simon Crean, is on his way to Peru for the APEC meeting. He is hoping to whip up support for restarting the Doha round of World Trade Talks, after a call from the G20 meeting in Washington at the weekend for a successful conclusion to the negotiations. Mr Crean wants APEC to push for the next ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation to move to resolve the issues that have prevented an agreement before now.
G20 summit on global financial crisis
17/11/2008
World leaders have all embraced the outcome of the G20 summit over the weekend. Big government spending and interest rate cuts have been endorsed as the key to shoring up the global economy, which is teetering on the brink of recession. The G20 also called for a greater role for bodies such as the International Monetary Fund in crisis management, and for reform of the international financial architecture.
Simon Crean on the world trade talks
30/07/2008
Simon Crean has summed up the collapse of world trade talks in Geneva as 'a great opportunity missed'. On the table was a new deal under the World Trade Organisation's Doha Round. But the talks collapsed after US negotiators failed to strike a deal with China and India over subsidy levels and import tariffs.
World trade talk collapse in Geneva
30/07/2008
World trade talks have collapsed after ministers in Geneva failed to reach a consensus on subsidy levels and import tariffs for a new deal under the World Trade Organisation's Doha Round. The talks collapsed after reports that US negotiators failed to strike a deal with China and India over proposals to protect poor farmers that would have imposed a special tariff on certain agricultural goods in the event of an import surge or price fall. There are now fears that the lack of agreement will lead to weaker global economic growth and higher shop prices in the coming years.
Former World Trade Organisation chief, Mike Moore
02/04/2008
Australian business ignores at their peril the opportunities and threats of trading with the developing world.
