Trade Talks This Year? Don't Bet On It

Jan. 13, 2005
By John S. McClenahen Launching a new round of global trade talks yet this year under World Trade Organization (WTO) now has the support of the leaders of the world's eight most powerful industrial economies. That came last weekend (July 21-23) at the ...
ByJohn S. McClenahen Launching a new round of global trade talks yet this year under World Trade Organization (WTO) now has the support of the leaders of the world's eight most powerful industrial economies. That came last weekend (July 21-23) at the G8 summit in Okinawa. But there's no assurance that there will be agreement on even an agenda by yearend. For example, the U.S. and the 15-nation European Union (EU) remain far apart on a number of critical issues, including agricultural subsidies. Also, the Clinton Administration, as this November's presidential and congressional elections draw nearer, may be reluctant to expend political capital on what promise to be extremely controversial and contentious negotiations. What's more, agreement on a new trade round must involve more than a meeting of minds among the U.S., Canada, Japan, and the EU, the powerful "quad" of the G8. For instance, "there can be no launch of talks without support from the world's developing countries," stresses Mike Moore, WTO's director general.

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!