December 3, 2009
IN THIS ALERT:
WTO Ministerial Meeting Highlights
During the November 30 - December 2 WTO Ministerial Meeting in Geneva, a number of Ministers from WTO member governments said that the Doha Round should be concluded quickly, with several calling for a political push early in the year so the talks can end in 2010. Ministers agreed to extend a moratorium on charging import duties on electronic transmissions, and a similar extension was agreed on bringing IPR "non-violation" cases to the WTO dispute settlement process. Ministers also discussed regional trade agreements, accessions, aid for trade, and other issues. For copies of background materials and highlights from the Summit, visit the WTO website at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/mn09a_01dec09_e.htm.
WTO Releases Annual Report on Developments in the International Trade Environment
On November 18, the Trade Policy Review Body of the WTO released its annual report on the Overview of Developments in the International Trading Environment. According to the report, despite the economic crisis, trade remains as open today as it was several years ago. Though some trade restricting and protectionist measures have been enacted, they cover at maximum 1 percent of world merchandise trade. The danger, the report warns, is that the longer the measures are left in place, the more dependent special interest groups become on them and the more difficult it becomes to eliminate them. Accordingly, the report recommends Members devise and announce strategies to remove such policies. The report notes that services trade was less affected by the recession than merchandise trade, with no significant new market access barriers imposed. Policies that were enacted instead concerned increased openness and clarity for foreign investment while those in the telecommunication sector served to "support and strengthen competitive markets." For a copy of the report, click here. http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/wt_tpr_ov_12_a_e.doc
New Data Shows Service Sector As the Largest Employer in all U.S. Congressional Districts
The Coalition of Service Industries has released a report which demonstrates that the vast majority of the workforce in each of the 435 U.S. Congressional Districts is employed in the service sector. The data was released at a December 2 event with the U.S. Congressional Services Caucus. The Caucus includes over 60 Members of Congress and is Co-Chaired by Reps. Crowley (D-NY), Brady (R-TX), Meeks (D-NY), Reichert (R-WA), Hinojosa (D-TX) and Biggert (R-IL). According to the data, in 403 Congressional Districts, between 70-89% of the workforce is employed in the service sector. In 13 districts, the figure is 90% or higher, and in the remaining 19 districts, between 63-69% of the workforce is employed in services. In no district is the figure lower than 63%. Details are available at http://www.uscsi.org/Employment.html.