It is already available in the website of the World Trade Organization (WTO) the 2004 annual report that reflects the progresses meanwhile occurred in the Doha Round negotiations. In particular, as far as the sector is concerned, there is the development of certain liberalization processes in the telecommunication sector, in several countries (Albania, Maldives, El Salvador, Canada, Burundi, Morocco, Indonesia, Senegal and Niger, Honduras, Guiana, Thailand, Turkey, among others), as well as the trend to reduce tariffs regarding the trade of information technology products.
''Multilateralism at the crossroads'' was the subject of the public symposium hosted by the WTO, from 25 to 27 May, in Geneva, with participants from many different fields, the European Commission being represented by the Commissioner Pascal Lamy. Policies for the development of the agricultural, industry and services and employment sectors were discussed, as well as the role of the developing countries, market competition, coherence of environmental policies and sustained social and human development and also issues related to biodiversity.
Also, the dispute between the United States of America (USA) and Mexico in the WTO about the Mexican telecommunication market had new developments, with the publication, in April this year, of the report prepared by the panel of jurists in charge of studying the claim submitted in 2000 by the US against Mexico. Its conclusions have confirmed that Mexico did not comply with certain commitments undertook within the framework of GATS, recommending to the WTO Dispute Resolution Body to ask Mexico to integrate the competition regime of the respective telecommunication market into conformity with its GATS obligations.
Consult:
- Relatório anual de 2004 da OMC http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/anrep_e/anrep04_e.pdf
Further information:
- Organização Mundial do Comércio http://www.wto.org/
- Simpósio ''Multilateralismo na encruzilhada'' http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dda_e/symp_devagenda_04_e.htm
