PNoWB and Trade

Parliamentary Network on the World Bank's Committee on International Trade for Development (PNoWB-Trade)

New Announcements!

June 20, 2006 PNoWB Trade sends letter to EC Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson as part of follow-up to May videoconference
June 2006 - Learn more about PNoWB-Trade on the PNoWB Website
May 10, 2006 - Prospects for Driving Forward the Development Agenda Post - Hong Kong: Videoconference with PNoWB Committee on International Trade for Development During the VC, Ann McKechin, MP (United Kingdom) took over from Hugh Bayley, MP (United Kingdom)as Chair of PNoWB-Trade

Background

On April 20, 2004, in close collaboration with the World Bank, the PNoWB set up a Committee on International Trade for Development. The Committee was launched as an outcome of a videoconference meeting on trade involving parliamentarians from several regions and World Bank representatives. The goal of the Committee is to promote parliamentary dialogue on development aspects of international trade issues, both within national parliaments and between parliamentarians from the North and the South. British MP Hugh Bayley agreed to serve as a first co-chair for the group, with another co-chair to be selected from the global South.

Since April, PNoWB Trade has gone on to develop two sub-groups. The Sub-group on Trade in Agriculture was launched on February 21 at a videoconference with parliamentarians from India, Japan, Kenya, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, along with representatives from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the World Bank.  The Sub-group on Trade in Services was launched at a February 28 videoconference, which included parliamentarians from India, Japan, Kenya, Uganda, and the United Kingdom, as well as the Governor of the Bank of Uganda, and representatives from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Assembly and the World Bank.  Both videoconferences were co-organized by the PNoWB and the World Bank.

The two sub groups will review the current status of negotiations on trade in agriculture and services, and prepare a 5-10 page paper to be shared with parliamentary colleagues around the world that a) briefly summarizes the background and outlines positions/ interests, b) presents political recommendations and suggestions for parliamentary action leading up to the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong in December 2005.

Trade at the World Bank 

Learn more about how the World Bank is working on Trade at www.worldbank.org/trade The site includes recent research available through  Trade Notes,  Working Papers on Trade and other publications.  You may also wish to sign up for the Bank's  Trade Newsletter by sending an e-mail to trade@worldbank.org  

Trade News Summaries - Stay Informed! 

Trade News Summaries are a joint effort of the World Bank and PNoWB-Trade to regularly summarize major media coverage on trade. 

Please note: Trade news summaries were discontinued in 2006. Click on the links below to read past trade news summaries:

Trade News Summary 7-8 Farm subsidy cuts...leading up to in Hong Kong...
(December 31, 2004 - Jan 11, 2005 and November 4-10, 2005)

Trade News Summaries 5-6 World Bank/IMF help to poor textile exporters...China - ASEAN free trade agreement...
(October 22-28, 2004 and November 16-18, 2004)

Trade News Summaries 3-4 Key elements of WTO trade pact...
(July 31- August 2, 2004 and October 15-21, 2004)

Trade News Summary 1-2 EU, Mercosur Trade talks stall; last chance for WTO talks...
(June 21- July 22, 2004)