Preparotory meeting for the WTO mini-ministerial

Prior to the beginning of the WTO mini-ministerial meeting on the modalities for the finalization of the Doha Round of negotiations, the South Centre organized a working lunch meeting on Tuesday 15 July 2008.

The objective of the meeting was to provide the South Centre's analysis of the revised agriculture text (including the proposals on the SSM) and the NAMA negotiations or text and also to look at the implications of the US Farm Bill in relation to the Doha mandate. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Aileen Kwa, Coordinator of the Trade for Development Programme, South Centre.

Implications of high food and energy prices for economic management

Ms. Luisa Rodriguez, Programme Officer, Trade for Development Programme, South Centre participated in the "Pan-Commonwealth Civil Society Consultation on the Special of the 2008 Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting" held in Castries, St. Lucia from 8 to 10 July in preparation for the 2008 Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting to be held in October.

The meeting was organized by the Commonwealth Foundation. The theme of the 2008 Meeting was "Implications of high food and energy prices for economic management".

The South Centre was requested to prepare a short paper on this topic for this meeting which was authored and presented by Ms. Rodriguez.

Working Lunch on IP Enforcement Issues and WCO

On 8 July 2008, South Centre's Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP) organized a Working Lunch for delegations of developing countries.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss three ongoing IP enforcement issues: (i) Update on the recent Decision concerning SECURE made at World Customs Organization (WCO) Policy Commission and Council; (ii) Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA); (iii) Universal Postal Union - WCO on protection of IPR and detection of counterfeit and pirated items.

Mr. Henrique Moraes, the Brazilian delegate based in Brussels, made key interventions on various issues, including among others, those connected with procedural regularity, outcomes of past three meetings, negotiation strategies and tactics, coordination problems at the domestic level, and issue of representation through regional blocks.

The meeting was chaired by Dr. Xuan LI, Coordinator of Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme.

South Centre participates in Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized seminar on International Seminar on Trade and Climate Change

Darlan Marti, Programme Officer, Trade for Development Programme, participated in the International Seminar on Trade and Climate Change organised by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with IISD and ICTSD in Copenhagen from 18-20 June 2008.

South Centre participates in SIPID III in Brazil

South Centre participated in the 3rd SIPID Conference held in Rio de Janeiro on 19-20 June 2008 on patents, innovation and development. The theme this year was on "AS DIMENSÕES ECONÔMICA, JURÍDICA E SOCIAL DA PROPRIEDADE INDUSTRIAL."

Ms. Viviana Munoz Tellez, Programme Officer with Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP), made a presenation on "the Changing Structure and Governance of Intellectual Property Enforcement" based on research carried out within the South Centre on this issue.