A2K and International Trade

A2K and International Trade

Confirmed Panelists

Thiru Balasubramaniam, Knowledge Ecology International
Catherine P. Bennett, National Foreign Trade Council
Margaret Chon, Seattle University School of Law
Gabrielle Marceau, WTO Secretariat and University of Geneva
Sisule Musungu, University of Bern & IQsensato
Moderating: Miguel Rodriguez Mendoza, ICTSD

Monday, 8 September, 16h30 - 18h00

The Uruguay Round of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations which concluded with the Establishment of the WTO can be said to have revolutionized the international trading system. Beyond structural changes the new system significantly expanded the subject matter coverage. Beyond the regulation of trade in goods, the WTO system brought under the ambit of international trade disciplines new issues such as trade in services; intellectual property as well as introducing rules on areas such as import licensing, rules of origin and subsidies. When concluded, the ongoing Doha Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations is expected to usher in another wave of liberalization, particularly in the areas of agriculture and industrial goods. In parallel to the multilateral trade liberalization processes, new bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs) have proliferated at a record pace. How does this web of rules relate to and/or impact access to knowledge goods and services and hence A2K goals and causes? This panel will seek to answer this main question.

This panel will therefore seek to systematically examine and identify the linkages between A2K and in a broad sense. The discussion will go beyond just examining the relationship between intellectual property rules within the international trade framework, such as those established by the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), and address the linkages (positive and negative) between A2K and other trade disciplines, such as tariffs, trade in services, investment, government procurement etc.

The specific questions to be addressed will include:

• What trade disciplines are most directly linked to A2K issues and concerns?
• How do the rules under this trade disciplines impact A2K?
• In what ways will the current WTO trade round (the Doha Development Agenda) and other trade related negotiations, such as in FTAs or the European Communities (EC) economic partnership agreements (EPAs) enhance or diminish the opportunities for A2K?
• What measures are required, internationally, to ensure that the global trading system supports A2K objectives and goals?