Doha Development Round
The Role of Trade for Development
As the future of the Doha Round becomes ever more uncertain, protectionist sentiment is building up in the USA, Europe and developing countries. Fredrik Erikson (ECIPE) will discuss how trade can help economic development, and prospects for the future of the multilateral trading regime.
Let citizens tackle powerful producer lobbies to get free trade back on track
IPN Opinion article
Doha was not defeated by intransigent trade negotiators. Rather, the culprits were self-seeking domestic interest groups on all sides, which hinder national governments from making further trade 'concessions'. These producer lobbies exert growing control over sovereign governments, with the consequence that they prevent other, less well-organised, groups of fellow citizens from reaping the considerable benefits of freer international trade and investment.
‘Trade Barriers Are Immoral; Free Trade Could End Poverty' says author of new report
IPN Press release
Curse of Unfair Trade
IPN Opinion article
Fredrik Erixon, chief economist of the Swedish think-tank Timbro, argues that Western aid has "largely been counterproductive" for half a century. In a devastating critique of the billions of pounds that have poured into Africa since independence, he said: "It has crowded out private sector investments, undermined democracy and enabled despots to continue with oppressive policies, perpetuating poverty."
Mercantilism today: how a dead philosophy comes back to life
IPN Opinion article
"Exports are good and imports bad, right? Wrong. All trade -- whether it is import or export, within nations or between them -- leads to economic growth, better jobs, and better health."
The developing world needs trade, not aid, to help the poor
IPN Opinion article
Guilt and goodwill have blinded many to the damage that aid can do. Trade, not aid, is the solution for the poor. At this week\'s informal WTO ministerial meeting in Sydney, trade ministers should make good on their promise at Doha to create a world trading system that benefits all participants. That means reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers on all goods, as well as reducing agricultural subsidies.
World\'s poor at the mercy of Europe
IPN Opinion article
LATER this week in Sydney, trade ministers from 25 member nations of the World Trade Organisation and its new director-general Supachai Panitchpakdi will be hunkered down behind police barriers at Homebush to discuss the progress of the Doha round of world trade liberalisation. They are probably wasting their time.
The threat to Doha will not be the howling anti-globalisation mob outside, although they show a completely immoral lack of concern for the world\'s poor. The real enemy is within. It is the European Union, represented this week by trade commissioner Pascal Lamy.
