WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION's update

 

21 Sep 2023 Latest news

Dear maria CHADZIDAKIS VAVOURANAKIS, Below are the news items published today on the WTO public website which match with your news preferences.

NEWS ITEM WTO members address electronic commerce and technology transfer in final thematic session WTO members discussed electronic commerce and technology transfer on 21 September as part of the eighth dedicated discussion held this year under the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce. News item   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Trade Policy Review: Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) The second review of the trade policies and practices of the countries of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) takes place on 20 and 22 September 2023. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Governments of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo and Gabon. TPR documents   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Iceland donates CHF 500,000 to WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism The government of Iceland is contributing CHF 500,000 to the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism to assist developing members and least-developed country members in implementing the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. The Permanent Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Martin Eyjólfsson, presented the contribution to WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on 13 September. Press release   ⟶

NEWS ITEM Fisheries subsidies chair introduces draft text, seeks members’ views at fifth “Fish Week” The chair of the fisheries subsidies negotiations, Ambassador Einar Gunnarsson of Iceland, introduced a draft text on curbing subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing at the opening of the fifth “Fish Week” on 18 September, drawing from previous negotiating texts and proposals. The chair explained that his intention is for the text to serve as a common starting point for members as they seek to deepen discussions and complete substantive work on the second wave of fisheries subsidies negotiations by December. News item   ⟶

 

NEWS ITEM New WTO publication provides insights into the world of export regulations and controls A new publication launched at the Public Forum on 15 September provides insights into how WTO members have used different international agreements and conventions beyond the WTO as the basis for imposing export regulations aimed at ensuring objectives such as environmental protection, hazardous waste management, weapons control and combatting illegal drugs trade. News item   ⟶

 

NEWS ITEM New WTO publication underlines need to boost women’s participation in trade A new WTO book on trade and gender, published on 14 September, looks at ways of bolstering women’s participation in international trade and highlights how women’s economic empowerment can support trade growth and economic development. Launched at the WTO’s Public Forum, the book brings together the latest research on the role of trade policy in improving gender equality. News item   ⟶

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT Milk and dairy products newsletter

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Latest update Dashboard: Milk and dairy products Highlights EU dairy prices in the last 4 weeks; butter: 441 €/100 kg (-0.6%) , SMP: 228€/100 kg (+0.6%), WMP: 328 €/100 kg (-0.7%), cheddar : 357 €/100 kg (-0.1); IT spot milk price is 52.3 c/kg (17/09/2023); EU remains more price competitive on Cheddar, Oceania on SMP, WMP and Butter; Feed costs decreased by (-1.4%) and energy costs increased by (+3%) in week 37 compared to the previous 4 weeks;

NATO update

 

The United States trains with other NATO Allies and partners in exercise Saber Junction 2023 The US Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR) tested its resilience during exercise Saber Junction 2023, a training drill designed to hone the skills of a Germany-based infantry unit. More than 4,000 troops from 14 Allied and partner countries gathered at Hohenfels Training Area in southern Germany for the US-led exercise, which ran from 6 to 16 September 2023. During Saber Junction, 2CR operated under the command of the Polish Army’s 11th Armoured Division, giving them crucial experience through the execution of orders passed down by an Allied headquarters. Based in Vilseck, Germany, 2CR is trained to rapidly respond to crises in Europe that might threaten NATO’s security. The countries that participated in Saber Junction 2023 were: Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Click here to download the b-roll. Footage includes shots of Bulgarian, French and US troops taking part in the exercise, as well as an interview with a US Army Major. NATO & UN: Partners in global peace and security NATO and the United Nations were both founded in the 1940s, in the aftermath of the Second World War, to preserve peace and security. NATO's Treaty operates within the UN Charter, which includes Article 51, recognising the inherent right of independent countries to individual or collective defence. NATO and the United Nations share a commitment to maintaining international peace and security and have expanded their cooperation over the past decade. In 2022, NATO adopted a new Strategic Concept, which reinforced its intention to retain a global perspective and work closely with partners, including international organisations. At their Summit in Vilnius this July, Allied Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening these interactions to advance our shared interests. Click here to download the video.  You can also watch the video on YouTube.

Press Release 21 September 2023

NATO Secretary General to visit the United States - 18-21 September 2023 (updated) The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg, will travel to New York from Monday 18 September through Thursday 21 September 2023 to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). On Tuesday 19 September, the Secretary General will participate in the opening of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. He will also have meetings with world leaders and high-level officials On Thursday 21 September, the Secretary General will participate in a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations. He will also attend the Transatlantic Dinner hosted by the Secretary of State of the United States, Mr. Antony J. Blinken. Media advisory 21 September 14:30 (CET) Russell C. Leffingwell Lecture at the Council on Foreign Relations Media coverage Secretary General’s remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations will be streamed live on the NATO website. A transcript of the Secretary General’s remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as photographs, will be available on the NATO website. For general queries:  Contact the NATO Press Office

BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM's update

 

Agencies extend favorable Community Reinvestment Act consideration of revitalization activities in certain disaster areas affected by Hurricane Maria https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20230920a.htm Released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Federal Reserve Board and Federal Open Market Committee release economic projections from the September 19-20 FOMC meeting https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20230920b.htm Released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20230920a.htm Released by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System The latest G.17 data are now available.   https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g17/current/default.htm   Visit us on the web at Federal Reserve Board.

IMF update

 

Dear MARIA, We just published a new blog—please find the full text below.  Fragile States Need Customized Support to Strengthen Institutions (Credit: Abdulsalam Alturki/UNICEF) By Tobias Adrian, Franck Bousquet, Dominique Desruelle, Vitor Gaspar, and Bert Kroese Fragile and conflict-affected states have been among the worst hit by the pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the increase in energy and food prices, climate change, and intensified political instability. Each new crisis aggravates underlying fragilities and creates spillovers that can destabilize entire regions. Conflicts forcibly displaced a record 108.4 million people last year, many of them refugees hosted in neighboring countries where fiscal conditions are already tight and growth prospects are weak. Fragility and conflict drive fragmentation and can cause reversals in trade, capital flows, and investment. Therefore, supporting fragile states by strengthening their economic and fiscal institutions is a global public good, as all countries can benefit.

Supreme President Tsivicos meets with Prime Minister Mitsotakis

 

American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association Contact: AHEPA Headquarters Phone: 202.232.6300 Email: ahepa@ahepa.org

Supreme President Tsivicos meets with Prime Minister Mitsotakis

The Order of AHEPA participated in events held this week in New York, in conjunction with the UN General Assembly, in honor of visiting foreign government officials. Supreme President Tsivicos represented AHEPA at a roundtable discussion with Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Kyriakos Mitsotakis, where several Hellenic organizations and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America participated. Tsivicos also had the opportunity to have a sidebar discussion with the prime minister. Tsivicos conveyed the AHEPA family’s compassion is with the people of Greece during these trying times, and he advised Prime Minister Mitsotakis of AHEPA’s response to the crises. “Through our forty-plus chapters in Greece, we responded quickly on the ground to the natural disasters ravaging Greece, and we stand ready to provide additional assistance to the people of Greece,” Tsivicos said. “We also wished Prime Minister Mitsotakis fruitful discussions during his policy discussions and meetings at the UN.” AHEPA family officers, including Daughters of Penelope Grand President Marianthi Treppiedi, accompanied Supreme President Tsivicos to a reception held in honor of Prime Minister Mitsotakis, who was represented by Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic Giorgos Gerapetritis on September 18. Tsivicos appreciated the opportunity to have a discussion with Foreign Minister Gerapetritis at the reception. Seventeen Hellenic organizations, including AHEPA, sponsored the reception, which was held at the Harvard Club of New York.

AHEPA E-News Volume 17, Issue 30 | Wednesday, September 20, 2023 AHEPA Co-Sponsors Dinner for Prime Minister