Note: an updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted here. Please bear in mind that dates and times of WTO meetings are often changed, and that the WTO does not always announce the important informal meetings of different WTO bodies. Unless otherwise indicated, all WTO meetings are held at the WTO, Centre William Rappard, Rue de Lausanne 154, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.

• January 2000

• February 2000

• March 2000

• April 2000

• May 2000

• June 2000

• July 2000

• August 2000

• September 2000

• October 2000

• November 2000

• December 2000

JANUARY 2000  [previous month]  [next month]  [back to top]  [other calendars]

21 - 23 January, Jekyll Island, Georgia: 9th ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTHERN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE WORKING GROUP (SSAWG). The focus will be "Sustaining Farm Families and Communities: The Future Depends on Us!" Conference events include over 35 workshops, as well as a Farm Tour, charity auction, and trade show. For information contact Jean Mills, email: jeanmills@aol.com or Keith Richards; tel: (1-501) 587-0888.

24 January, Geneva: WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5393.

24 - 28 January, Montreal, Canada: RESUMED SESSION ON THE FIRST EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE COP TO FINALISE AND ADOPT A PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY. 150 nations will meet for a last attempt at agreement of this protocol. For information contact the United Nations Environment  Programme Convention on Biodiversity secretariat, tel: (1-514) 288-2220; fax: 288-6588; email: secretariat@biodiv.org; web: http://ww.biodiv.org

FEBRUARY 2000 [previous month]  [next month]  [back to top]  [other calendars]

1-2 February, New York, New York: UNITED NATIONS WORKSHOP ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY, GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS & DEREGULATION. This event is organised by the United Nations, US Department of Energy, US General Services Administration, ConEdison, and New Energy. The workshop will explore ways to buy competitively priced electricity and natural gas for facilities across the globe. It will also provide opportunities to learn about new financing mechanisms and renewable energy sources. For information see web: http://www.un.org/events/energy2000/main.htm
3 February, Geneva: WTO SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. For information contact: Lucie Giraud, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5075.

4 February, Brussels: CONFERENCE ON GMOs AND WORLD TRADE. For information contact: Ida Belling; tel: (32-2) 295-1334; email: ida.belling@cece.eu.int; or Anna Albovias; tel: (32-2) 295-2355; email: st2b1@dg24.cec.be

7 February, Geneva: WTO GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING. On the agenda: (1) 5-yr review of the exemption provided under para. 3 of GATT; (2) Committee on budget, finance and admin; (3) Follow-up to the Seattle Ministerial Conference; (4) Negotiations on Agriculture and Services under Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture and Article XIX of the GATS; (5) Other aspects of the WTO Work Programme; (6) Appointment of Officers to WTO Bodies; (7) Election of Chairperson of the General Council. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5393.  For an ICTSD news report on this meeting see: http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story1.08-02-00.htm

9-10 February, Bangkok, Thailand: POST-SEATTLE FORUM ON TRADE AND AGRICULTURE: ADVANCING THE CALL TO TAKE AGRICULTURE OUT OF THE WTO. This forum is co-organised by the International South Group Network, Focus on the Global South, the Thai NGO Coordinating Committee, and PKMM-Philippines. For information contact: Naty Bernardino, ISGN- International Secretariat, c/o Resource Center for People's Development, #24 Unit 7, Mapang-akit St., Pinyahan, Quezon City, Philippines; tel/fax: (632) 436-1831; email: rcpd@info.com.ph or isgn@tri-isys.com

10 février, Paris: COMMERCE & ENVIRONNEMENT: QUELS ENJEUX APRÈS SEATTLE? Organisé par SOLAGRAL, le meeting aura pour sujets "les leçons de Seattle" et "les perspectives de travail a court et moyen terme". Pour confirmer votre présence contactez: Yannick Jadot, tel: (33-1) 43- 94-73-33; fax: 94-73-36; email: solagral@solagral.asso.fr

11 February, Bangkok, Thailand: FORUM ON TRADE, FINANCE LIBERALIZATION AND IMPLICATIONS ON THE DEBT CRISIS. Sponsored by Focus on the Global South. For information contact: Naty Bernardino, ISGN-International Secretariat, c/o Resource Center for People's Development, #24 Unit 7, Mapang-akit St., Pinyahan, Quezon City, Philippines; tel/fax: (632) 436- 1831; email: rcpd@info.com.ph or isgn@tri-isys.com

11 February, Geneva: WTO SPECIAL DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY. On the agenda: Implementation of the recommendations of the Dispute Settlement Body on: (A) "Argentina -- Safeguard Measures on Imports of Footwear", "Chile -- Taxes on Alcoholic Beverages", "Korea -- Definitive Safeguard Measure on Imports of Certain Dairy Products"; and (B) "Australia -- Subsidies Provided to Producers and Exporters of Automotive Leather -- Recourse to Article 21.5 of the DSU by the US". For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5393.

12-19 February, Bangkok, Thailand: TENTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT (UNCTAD X). This conference will be attended by ministers and senior officials from UNCTAD's 190 member states. Participants will reflect on the problems and challenges facing developing countries in the era of globalisation, identify effective development strategies, and consider UNCTAD's future work programme and approach to key economic issues facing developing countries. The conference will include a number of high-level round tables. For further information contact: Awni Behnam, Secretary of the Conference, UNCTAD, Palais des Nations, 1 211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: (41-22) 907-5727; fax: 907-0056; email: awni.behnam@unctad.org; web: http://www.unctad-10.org .  For ICTSD news reports on this meeting see:
http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story2.15-02-00.htm; http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story1.22-02-00.htm; and http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story2.22-02-00.htm

14-18 February, New Delhi, India: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MANAGING NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY. Themes of the conference include: agro-biodiversity and agro-forestry; biodiversity, people and sustainable agriculture; and natural resources management and comprehensive food security. For more information contact: A.K. Singh, Secretary-General, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110 012 India; tel: (91-11) 573-1494; fax: 575-5529; email: icmnr@bic-iari.ren.nic.in

16 February, Bangkok, Thailand: UNCTAD/UNDP GLOBAL PROGRAMME ON GLOBALISATION, LIBERALISATION AND SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. The theme of this conference is capacity building in developing countries to manage globalisation in pursuit of sustainable human development. For information contact: Jagdish Saigal; tel: (41-22) 907-5731; fax: 907-0050; email: Jagdish.saigal@unctad.org

16-17 February Hamburg, Germany: INCENTIVES FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND MARITIME TRANSPORT. Organised by Green Shipping, this meeting will be of special interest to colleagues working in the area of maritime transport and doing scientific research in this field. Institutions such as the International Maritime Organisation, European Shippers Council, US Coast Guard, and European Commission will be present initiatives, projects and programmes aimed at ensuring that maritime transport is as environmentally-safe as possible. For information contact: Green Shipping c/o CCH - Congress Organisation, Matthias Rieger / Christiane Vortisch, P.O. Box 30 24 80, 20308 Hamburg, Germany; web: www.green-shipping.de; email: Karsten Krause, karsten.krause@ub.hamburg.de

18-20 February, Washington, DC: ASIL INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC LAW GROUP ANNUAL MEETING. This meeting is entitled: "Interfaces: From International Trade to International Economic Law." For contact information: Jeffery Atik, Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108 USA; tel: (1-617) 573-8777; email: jatik@acad.suffolk.edu

19-21 February, New Delhi, India: TERI SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE SERIES. The title of this conference is Global Sustainable Development in the 21st century: Directions for innovation and change. This is one of a series of conferences that will cover crucial issues of local, regional and global relevance in the 21st century. For information contact: The Silver Jubilee Conference Secretariat TERI, Darbari Seth Block, Habitai Place, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110 003, India; tel: (91- 11) 462-2246, or 460-1550, 465-3001; fax: 462-1770 or 463-2609; email: program@teri.res.in; web: http://www.teriin.org/25years/index.htm

22 February, Brussels: CONFERENCE ON FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR GLOBAL TRADE. This conference, hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), the law firm of Herbert Smith and APCO Europe, is entitled The International Trade Agenda: Key Issues and Future Prospects for a New Round. For information contact: Harry Leff at APCO Europe, tel: (32-2) 645-9831; email: hleff@apco-europe.com or contact Kees Jan Kuilwijk at Herbert Smith, tel: (32-2) 511-7450; email: Kees.Jan.Kuilwijk@HerbertSmith.com. To register for the conference contact: British Chamber of Commerce, tel: (32-2) 540-9030; email: brit.cham@skynet.be

23 February, Brussels: PUBLIC MEETING: SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT ASSESMENT & THE NEW ROUND. This meeting is a follow-up of The Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) Report on the European Commission's agenda for a new round of WTO trade negotiations. The assessment was completed in November and can be found at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/2000_round/sia.htm . At the meeting the European Commission's contractors, from the University of Manchester, will present their findings. For information contact: Emma Sutherland, tel: (32-2) 295-0518; email: Emma.Sutherland@cec.eu.int

23-26 February, Anchorage, Alaska: HERRING 2000 SYMPOSIUM. This international Wakefield Fisheries Symposium will bring together scientists who manage herring, study herring biology and ecology, and study the social and economic aspects of herring fisheries to share information, synthesise recent developments, and plan for further work to help conserve the resource and assure sustainable fisheries. For information contact: Brenda Baxter, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, PO Box 755040 Fairbanks, AK 99775-5040 USA, tel: (1-907) 474-6701; fax: 474-6285; web: http://www.uaf.edu/seagrant/Conferences/symposia.html

24 February, Geneva: WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org .

25 February, Geneva: WTO COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE. For information contact: Peter Ungphakorn, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5412

25 February, Geneva: WTO SPECIAL SESSION ON THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org .  For an ICTSD news report on this meeting see: http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story2.29-02-00.htm

25 February, Geneva: WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5393.

24-25 February, Brussels: DEBATE/CONFERENCE: AGRICULTURE AND THE WTO. Hosted by the European Training Association for Farming and Rural Affairs. For information contact: AEFPR, Rue de la Sablonnière 18 - 1000 Brussels, Belgium; tel: (32-2) 218-2195.

29 February - 1 March, Geneva: WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT. Members will discuss items 2, 3, 4, and 6 of the CTE's 10-point work programme. The CTE is scheduled to meet three times in 2000: from 29 February - 1 March, 5-6 July, and 24-25 October. The meeting to be held from 5-6 July will include an information session with selected Secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements. The meeting scheduled for 24-25 October will consider issues relating to market access, as well as the linkages between the multilateral environment and trade agendas. Sabrina Shaw, Secretary of the CTE, WTO, tel: (41-22) 739-5482; email: sabrina.shaw@wto.org; web: http://www.wto.org/wto/environ/te030.htm . For an ICTSD news report on this meeting see: http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story2.07-03-00.htm

29 February, Geneva: WTO WORKING PARTY ON GATS RULES. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5393.

29 February, Geneva: INFORMAL MEETING OF THE WTO GENERAL COUNCIL. For information contact: Keith Rockwell, Director, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5007.  For an ICTSD news report on this meeting see: http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story2.07-03-00.htm

29 February, Geneva: WTO WORKING PARTY ON THE ACCESSION OF THE SULTANATE OF OMAN.For information contact: Lucy Giraud, WTO, (41-22) 739-5075.

29 February - 2 March, Brussels, Belgium: JOINT MEETING OF THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC FISHERIES ORGANIZATION (NAFO) SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL/FISHERIES COMMISSION WORKING GROUP ON THE PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH. For information contact NAFO, 2 Morris Drive, P.O. Box 638, Darthmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada B2Y 3Y9; tel: (1-902) 468-5590; fax: 468-5538; email: NAFO@fox.nstn.ca

3 March, Geneva: WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

3-4 March, Geneva, Switzerland: PROGRAMME OF TRAINING FOR THE APPLICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW. This is a meeting of experts held by UNITAR, UNEP, and IUCN. For information contact: Daniel Navid, UNITAR, Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; tel: (41-22) 917-8547; fax: 917-8047; email: daniel.navid@unitary.org

5 - 8 March, Cairo, Egypt: 3rd MEETING OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (MDF). MDF will focus on trends, challenges, and opportunities in the Mediterranean region regarding economic liberalisation, regional integration, and the role of the private sector. For information contact Mr. Tudor Lomas, Jemstone Network; tel: (962-6) 585-3025; fax: 585-3025; email: mdf@jemstone.net

6-8 March, Quito, Ecuador: INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS MEETING ON SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT OF TRADE LIBERALISATION. Organised by the Word Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in collaboration with Fundacion Futuro Latino Americano. For information contact: Mireille Perrin, WWF International, Trade and Investment Unit; tel: (41-22) 364-9026; fax: 364-8219; email: mperrin@wwfnet.org

6-26 March: ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE FOR NGOs ON RURAL POLICY AND FOOD SECURITY. Hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), this electronic conference intends to promote the discussion and capture the visions of NGOs on certain issues which will be established during the 26th Regional Conference of the FAO for Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically, the agenda of the electronic conference is the following: during the first week, to discuss the impact of the technical obstacles and non-trade barriers on agricultural trade in Latin America and the Caribbean; during the second week, to debate on topics related to rural development and institutionality; and during the third week, to examine specific problems, and possible solutions, to food insecurity. For information contact: Linda Elswick, CSD NGO Sustainable Agriculture/Food Systems (SAFS) Caucus, c/o International Partners for Sustainable Agriculture (IPSA), 2100 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20037; tel: (1-202) 778-6119; fax: 778-6134; email: ONG-OSC-L-Moderador@fao.org; web: http://www.rlc.fao.org/foro/pages/con4ingl.htm

7 March, Geneva: WTO SEMINAR ON SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. For information see web: http://www.wto.org/wto/develop/sdt.htm

9 March, Brussels: WTO FORUM HOSTED BY THE EUROPEAN POLICY CENTRE. The forum will update its participants with any current developments in the WTO, prepare for a new round of multilateral trade talks, and discuss China's accession to the WTO and implications for European business. For information contact: The European Policy Centre, 42 Bld Charlemagne, 1000 Brussels; tel: (32-2) 231-0340; fax: 231-0704; web: http://www.theepc.be/

10 March, Geneva: WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT. Inter alia, Members will discuss Special and Differential treatment: report by chairperson on seminar held on 7 March on consideration of "concerns regarding special and differential treatment provisions in WTO agreements and decisions"; Generalised System of Preferences: notification by Norway (see WTO document WT/COMTD/N/6/add.1); Treaty on the West African economic and monetary union (WAEMU).  For information contact: Lucie Giraud, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5075, email: lucie.giraud@wto.org .  For an ICTSD news report on this meeting see: http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story3.14-03-00.htm

10-12 March, Stanford Law School, California: SEA CHANGE: THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SOCIETIES (NAELS) CONFERENCE ON OCEAN & ENVIRONMENTAL LAW. Organised by the Stanford Environmental Law Society. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Sylvia Earle, renowned ocean explorer and advocate and former chief scientist for the NOAA. The conference will bring together academics, students, and practitioners from around the country to explore and question the boundaries of ocean law and policy. Panels and roundtables will be multidisciplinary, involving experts from academia, private practice, government, and business. For more information and on-line registration see web: http://seachange.stanford.edu; email: naels@law.stanford.edu

12 March, Jaipur, India: CONFERENCE ON "GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS AND CONSUMERS: THE ROAD AHEAD." Hosted by the Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS), this conference's objectives are to inform and educate consumers on genetically modified foods and related issues with a special emphasis on food security and health and environmental risks. For information contact: Ujjwal Kumar, Consumer Unity & Trust Society, Jaipur, India, tel: (91-141) 202-940 or 205-202; fax: 202-968 or 203- 998; email: cutsjpr@jp1.dot.net.in or cuts.jpr@cuts-india.org; web: http://www.cuts-india.org

13-17 March, Geneva: TEXTILES MONITORING BODY. For information contact: Luis Ople, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5374.

14-15 March, Chiba, Japan: JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO HOST CODEX AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON BIO-ENGINEERED FOOD. The Committee aims to set up international rules that can promote fair trade through rational risk assessment based on scientific evidence. During the meeting, Japanese NGOs are organising to hold the "Codex NGO Forum in Chiba." The Codex NGO Forum will include demonstrations, panel discussions, press briefings and celebration of food diversity. To apply for public observer status contact: the office of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, email: codex@mhw.go.jp. For information on NGO activities contact: Mika Iba or Yoko Takase, email: mika@mb.kcom.ne.jp

15-16 March, Geneva: COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES. Inter alia, Members will discuss: communications from the European Community on the precautionary principle, communication from the European Community on its white paper on food safety, the SPS agreement and developing countries, technical assistance and cooperation, and monitoring the use of international standards. For information contact: Peter Ungphakorn, WTO; tel: (41-22) 739-5412

16-17 March, Rome: 23rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON CURRENT FISHERIES ISSUES. This conference is co-hosted by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Center for Oceans Law & Policy (COLP). The conference will provide a forum for fisheries experts around the world to meet and exchange ideas on important concerns in the oceans community. For information contact: COLP; tel: (804) 974- 7441; fax: 924-7362; web: http://www.virginia.edu/colp/ or at http://www.fao.org/legal/news-e.htm#fishconf

16 - 22 March, The Hague, Netherlands: SECOND WORLD WATER FORUM AND MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE. For information contact: Second World Water Forum, c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DML/PS), P.O. Box 2006, 2500 EB The Hague, The Netherlands; tel: (31-70) 348-5402; fax: 348-6792, email: secretariat@worldwaterforum.org; web: http://www.worldwaterforum.org/information.html

20 - 23 March, Riga, Latvia: GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN EUROPE. For information contact: Ilona Jepsen, Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development, 25 Peldu street, 1494 Riga, Latvia; tel: (371) 702-6517, fax: 782-0442; email: daba@varam.gov.lv; web: www.varam.gov.lv

20-25 March, Bonn, Germany: POPs INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE. This is the fourth session of the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) committee and is hosted by UNEP Chemicals. For information contact: Michael Williams, UNEP Chemicals; tel: (41-22) 917- 8242; email: michael.williams@unep.ch; web: http://irptc.unep.ch/pops/

20 March, Geneva: WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY. For information contact Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739- 5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

20 March, Geneva: WTO INFORMAL WORKING PARTY ON THE ACCESSION OF CHINA. A formal Working Party on China accession will take place on 21 March. For information contact Lucie Giraud, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5075; email: lucie.giraud@wto.org

20-21 March, Miami, Florida, USA: GLOBALIZATION AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN LATIN AMERICA: NGOS, MULTILATERAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, HEMISPHERIC SUMMITS. Co-sponsored by the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLASCO), the University of Miami School of International Studies, and the Dante B. Fascell North-South Center. For information contact: William C. Smith or María P. Rigorizzi, N-S Center, tel: (1- 305) 284-5092; web: http://www.miami.edu/nsc/

20-24 March, Beijing, China: CODEX COMMITTEE ON FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS (32ND SESSION). Meeting code: CX - 711 32. For information see web: http://www.fao.org/events/default.htm

21 March, Geneva: WTO SUB-COMMITTEE ON LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. For information contact Lucie Giraud, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5075; email: lucie.giraud@wto.org

21-22 March, Geneva: WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (TRIPs). The TRIPs Council is also scheduled to meet on 26-30 June, 21-22 September, and 27 November - 1 December. Meeting dates are provisional and subject to change. For information contact: Peter Ungphakorn, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, WTO, 154 rue de Lausanne, 1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland; tel: (41-22) 739-5412; email: peter.ungphakorn@wto.org; web: http://www.wto.org/wto/intellec/intellec.htm

21-22 March, Miami, Florida, USA: MEETING OF THE FTAA COMMITTEE ON CIVIL SOCIETY. For information contact: FTAA Secretariat, 100 Chopin Plaza, Plaza Level, Miami, Florida 33131-2140 USA; tel: (1-305) 381- 9043; fax: 381-8390; email: ftaa-alca@ftaa-alca.4tz.com

22-23 March: WTO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. The Ag Committee meeting on 23 March will be followed by a Special Session on Agriculture that is expected to extend to 24 March and possibly to 27 March. During the Special Session Members will begin mandated negotiations on Agriculture as per the WTO's built-in agenda. For information contact: Peter Ungphakorn, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5412; email: peter.ungphakorn@wto.org

22-24 March, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: SIXTH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE AND TRADE FAIR ON DEVELOPING THE BUSINESS OF THE ENVIRONMENT. For information contact: The GLOBE Foundation of Canada, 504 - 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C 3E1; tel: (1-604) 775-7300; fax: 666-8123; email: info@globe.apfnet.org; web: http://www.globe.ca

23-31 March, Seville, Spain: 4th INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS FORUM ON BIODIVERSITY and the indigenous participation at the AD HOC INTERSESSIONAL OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 8J AND RELATED PROVISIONS OF THE CONVENTION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. Hosted by the Spanish NGO, WATU Acción Indígena. For information contact: Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat (Canada) of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Place Vincent Massey, 9th Floor, 351 St. Joseph Blvd. Hull, PQ, K1A 0H3 Canada; tel: (1-819) 953-5819; fax: 953-1765; email: tamara.dionnestout@ec.gc.ca; web: http://www.servicom.es/watu/textos/forosevilla_eng.htm

25 March, American University, Washington College of Law, Washington D.C.: 5th INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE LAW CONFERENCE. Organised by the ASIL Wildlife Law Interest Group on the theme: "The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species: A Quarter Century Report Card." For information contact Wil Burns, Co-Chairman; email: asilwildlife@pacbell.net

27-28 March, London, England: SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WTO MILLENNIUM ROUND AND BEYOND. This international conference is organised by The Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA) in association with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). Featured keynote speaker will be Michael Meacher, UK Minister for the Environment. The conference will cover significant sustainability topics as well as issues that pose sustainability challenges and opportunities for international trade and investment. For information contact: Georgina Wright, RIIA, Chatham House, 10 St James's Square, London SWIY 4LE, UK; tel: (44-171) 957-5754 or 957-5700; fax: 321-2045 or 957-5710; email: gwright@riia.org; web:  http://www.riia.org/Conferences/Tradea5.pdf

27-31 March, Montreal, Canada: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE MULTILATERAL FUND UNDER THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL. This is the 30th Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund under the Montreal Protocol. The Executive Committee's 31st Meeting is scheduled for 3-7 July 2000 in Geneva, Switzerland. The 32nd Meeting will be held from 4-8 December 2000 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. For more information contact: the Ozone Secretariat; tel: (254) 262-1234; fax: 262-3601; email: ozoneinfo@unep.org; web: http://www.unep.org/ozone/meet2000.htm

27-31 March, Harare, Zimbabwe: THIRD SEATINI REGIONAL WORKSHOP. This workshop, hosted by SEATINI (Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and Negotiations Initiative), will analyse the aftermath of the WTO's Third Ministerial Conference in Seattle for Africa. It will examine multilateral trade agreements within the region and the dissemination of analytical and educational material on current trade negotiations in Geneva. For information contact: SEATINI, tel: (253-4) 792-681-6 ext. 276; fax: 251-648; email: seatini.zw@undp.org

28 [possibly also 29] March, Geneva: WTO INFORMAL GENERAL COUNCIL. Members will discuss the issue of transparency. For information contact Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

29 March, Geneva: WTO GENERAL COUNCIL. For information contact Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

29-30 March, Oaxaca City, Mexico: FROM THE COFFEE TREE TO THE COFFEE CUP. Hosted by the North American Commission for the Environmental Cooperation (CEC), this workshop will look explore ways to get Mexican shade-grown coffee into the hands of North American consumers. For information contact: Charles Dickson, CEC; tel: (1-514) 350-4308; email: cdickson@ccemtl.org

29-30 March, Geneva: WTO COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS. For information contact Lucie Giraud, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5075; email: lucie.giraud@wto.org

30-31 March, Paris, France: COLLOQUE INTERNATIONAL SUR LA DIVERSITE BIOLOGIQUE ET LE DROIT DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT, EN HOMMAGE A CYRILLE DE KLEMM. Registration fee: FF400. For information contact: Laurence Renard, 11, rue Marechal Juin, B.P. 68-67046 Strasbourg CEDEX, France; tel: (03-88) 14 30 42; fax: 14 30 44.

30 mars, 6, 13 & 17 avril, de 18h a 20h30, Geneve, Suisse: COURS DE FORMATION: LE CONSOMMATEUR FACE A LA MONDIALISATION: QUELLES ACTIONS POSSIBLES? Ce cours prends place a l'Universite ouvriere de Geneve: Centre de formation continue des travailleurs. L'objectif est d'etudier les mecanismes lies a la mondialisation de l'economie; presenter les actions possibles pour le citoyen consommateur face aux systemes commerciaux. Intervenants: Caroline Dommen, juriste, et Thierry Pellet, economiste. Prix: CHF 90.00. Pour plus d'infos contactez: UOG, 3, place des Grottes, 1201 Geneve, tel: (41-22) 733-5060; fax: 733-3519.

30 March - 4 April, Cairo, Egypt: PREPARATORY WORKSHOP FOR EUROPEAN ORGANISATIONS (30 March); CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM (31 March-1 April); SUMMIT OF THE AFRICAN AND EUROPEAN HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENTS (3-4 April). For information contact: European Commission Directorate-General for Development, 200, Rue de la Loi, B-1049, Brussels; tel: (32-2) 299-1111; fax: 299-2872 / 73.

31 March, 10:30 - 12:30, International Environment House, Geneva: ROUNDTABLE ON THE BIOSAFETY PROTOCOL. The roundtable will take place in meeting room 2, ground floor. Owing to the limited number of seats available, please confirm your participation by 22 March at the latest by contacting: Aniket Ghai, GEN, UNEP, Maison internationale de l'environnement, 11-13 Ch. des Anémones, CH-1213 Chatelaine/Genève, fax: (41-22) 797-3464; email: aniket.ghai@unep.ch. There will be a coffee reception at 10:00.

APRIL 2000  [previous month]  [next month]  [back to top]  [ other calendars]

1-10 April: RESISTANCE IS FERTILE. A global week of activities against genetically engineered foods to celebrate the diversity of local agriculture. For more information contact: web: http://www.resistanceisfertile.com/contents.htm

3-4 April, London England: BIODIVERSITY & BUSINESS: PUTTING PRINCIPLES INTO ACTION. For information contact: Georgina Wright, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, 10 St James's Square, London SWIY 4LE, UK; tel: (44-20) 7957-5754; fax: 7957-5710; email: conferences@riia.org

3-5 April, Seattle, Washington, USA: SEATTLE SUMMIT ON PROTECTING THE WORLD'S CLIMATE. The summit will bring together people from the high tech, investment, trade and energy sectors and will feature a symposium on clean energy. For information contact: Rhys Roth, Climate Solutions; tel: (1-360) 352-1763; fax: 943-4977; email: info@climatesolutions.org; web: www.climate.org/seattlesummit

3-7 April, Geneva, Switzerland: 16th SESSION OF THE TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP OF THE BASEL CONVENTION. For information contact: Basel Convention Secretariat, tel: (41-22) 917-8213.

3-7 April, Durban, South Africa: ICFTU 17th WORLD CONGRESS. This Congress, sponsored by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, will focus on questions of democracy and social justice in a global economy. For information contact: Bd Emile Jacqmain, 155, B- 1210, Brussels, Belgium; tel: (32-2) 224-02-11; fax: 201-58-15, or 203- 07-56 or 224-02-97; email: internetpo@icftu.org; web: http://www.icftu.org

4 April, Athens, Georgia, USA: UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA CONFERENCE: "GOVERNING THE GLOBAL OCEAN." For information contact: Dorinda Dallmeyer, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; tel: (1-706) 542-5141; fax: 542-7822; email: dorindad@arches.uga.edu

5 April, 18:00-20:00 (CET): EU TRADE COMMISSIONER PASCAL LAMY INTERNET DISCUSSION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE SYSTEM AND PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE.  The chat address is: chat.europa.eu.int. Questions submitted in advance will be answered during the discussion period. Send your advance questions (256 characters maximum) to: chat.Lamy@cec.eu.int .

5 April 2000, London, England: CONFERENCE ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED PRODUCTS - THE NEXT TRADE WAR? This conference will be hosted by the Royal Institute of International Affairs and Flora and Fauna International. For information contact: Georgina Wright, RIIA, London, England; tel: (44-171) 957-574; fax: 321-2045; email: gwright@riia.org

5 April, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

5 April, London England: GM PRODUCTS: CORPORATE CHALLENGES FOR BIOTECH COMPANIES AND THE NEW POLICY AGENDA. Organised by The Royal Institute of International Affairs. For information contact: Georgina Wright, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, 10 St James's Square, London SWIY 4LE, UK; tel: (44-20) 7957-5754; fax: 7957-5710; email: conferences@riia.org

5 & 25 April, New York, USA: SYMPOSIA: THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION AFTER SEATTLE. These symposia will be hosted by the New York Law School. For information contact: NY Law School, tel: (1-212) 431-2865; email: mrhee@nyls.edu

6-7 April, Akureyri, Iceland: COMPETITIVENESS WITHIN THE GLOBAL FISHERIES. Hosted by the Faculty of Fisheries Studies and the University of Akureyri. For information contact: email: eyjolfur@unak.is; web: http://www.unak.is/deildir/sdeild/conf/

6-8 April, San Salvador, El Salvador: COMPETITIVENESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL AMERICA. Organised jointly by the Central American Development and Environment Foundation - ECOFUTURO, Salvadoran Economic and Social Development Foundation (FUSADES) and CEDES, this conference will bring together regional and international personalities to discuss future action in Central America that furthers sustainable development. For information contact: the Salvadorian Business Council for Sustainable Development; tel: (503) 264-6188; fax: 264-5051; email: ecomillennium@hotmail.com

10-13 April, Geneva, Switzerland: LEGAL WORKING GROUP OF THE BASEL CONVENTION. For information contact: Basel Convention Secretariat, tel: (41-22) 917-8213.

10-14 April, Havana, Cuba: THE SOUTH SUMMIT OF THE GROUP OF 77. This will be the first ever G-77 South Summit. For information contact: Office of the Chairman of the Group of 77, United Nations Headquarters, Room S-3959, New York, N.Y. 10017, USA; tel: (212) 963-0192 or 963- 3816; fax: 963-3515 or 963-1753; email: g77off@undp.org; web: http://www.g77.org/summit/summit.html

10-14 April, Merida, Mexico: 26th FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN. For information visit: http://www.rlc.fao.org/larc/

10-20 April, Nairobi, Kenya: ELEVENTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES (CITES COP-11). For information contact: CITES Secretariat; tel: (41-22) 917-8139; fax: 797-3417; email: cites@unep.ch ; web: http://www.wcmc.org.uk/CITES/index.shtml

11 April, 09:00-11:00, International Environment House (Room 2), 13, chemin des Anémones, Geneva: ICTSD CAFÉ-CROISSANT INFORMAL DISCUSSION ON ECUADOR'S USE OF CROSS-RETALIATION: "NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES". Speaker: Mr. Cristian Espinosa, First Secretary, Ecuadorian Mission to the WTO; Discussant: Ernst-Ulrich Petersmann, Legal Advisor, WTO & University of Geneva. Mr. Espinosa will comment on the highlights of the WTO banana case and on Ecuador's reaction to the WTO's authorisation for cross retaliation. The dialogue is meant to be interactive and will be opened up to all participants. If you or your organisation would like to attend, please confirm attendance at the soonest date possible to: Stephanie Hanford, ICTSD, tel: (41-22) 917- 8374; email: shanford@ictsd.ch . If you would like to be included in ICTSD's invitation list for the occasional series of Café-Croissants informal dialogues, please contact Marc Galvin, ICTSD, email: mgalvin@ictsd.ch

12-14 April, Guatemala City, Guatemala: MEETING OF THE FTAA TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE. For information contact: FTAA Secretariat, 100 Chopin Plaza, Plaza Level Miami, Florida 33131-2140 USA; tel: (1-305) 381-9043; fax: 381-8390; email: ftaa-alca@ftaa-alca.4tz.com

13-14 April, San Francisco, California: CERES 2000 CONFERENCE: NAVIGATING THE NETWORKS OF CHANGE. This is the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES)'s annual conference. The conference will offer presentations, networking, and innovative discussions that focus on some of the most significant environmental issues facing our world. For information contact: web: http://www.ceres.org/eventsandnews/events/2000conference.html

13-14 April, Yorkshire, England: 6th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CONFERENCE. Sponsored by ERP Environment. For information contact: Elaine White, ERP Environment, tel: (44) 1274- 530408; fax: 1274-530409; email: elaine@erpenv.demon.co.uk; web: http://www.erpenvironment.org/cfrence/sd.htm

13-15 April, Jaipur, India: REGIONAL SEMINAR ON COMPETITION LAW AND POLICY FOR ASIA-PACIFIC. Organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Commission of India, and Consumer Unity and Trade Society (CUTS). For information contact: Philippe Brusick, email: philippe.brusick@unctad.org; or Ujjwal Kumar, Consumer Unity & Trust Society, tel: (91-141) 202-940 or 205-202; fax: 202-968 or 203-998; email: cutsjpr@jp1.dot.net.in; web: http://www.cuts-india.org

14 April, Geneva: WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES - Special Session. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

16-17 April, Jaipur, India: CUTS/CI-ROAP ASIA-PACIFIC WORKSHOP ON COMPETITION LAW. For information contact: Ujjwal Kumar, Consumer Unity & Trust Society, tel: (91-141) 202-940 or 205-202; fax: 202-968 or 203- 998; email: cutsjpr@jp1.dot.net.in; web: http://www.cuts-india.org

17 April, Brussels, Belgium: BUILDING ADVOCACY WORK IN NORTH AND SOUTH. CIDSE, the International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity, is organising an NGO strategy meeting on Biopatenting and Food Security. For information contact: Bob van Dillen, fax: (32-2) 230-7082; email: vandillen@cidse.be; web: http://www.cidse.be

17 April, Brussels, Belgium: EURO-MEDITERRANEAN FREE TRADE ZONE: CAN IT BE SUSTAINABLE? This conference will raise awareness of potential environmental implications of a Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Zone and will present and discuss policy recommendations. The conference is organised by Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) and Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE) in co-operation with Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) EU, Friends of the Earth Mednet Programme, and Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). For information contact: Alexandra Wandel, FoE Europe, fax: (32- 2) 537-5596; email: mftz@foeeurope.org or Friends of the Earth-Middle East, fax: (962-6) 586-6604; email: mftz@foeme.org; web: http://www.foeeurope.org/trade/about.htm

17-28 April, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA: PARTICIPATORY PRACTICE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) at Colorado State University, the course focuses on planning, project implementation, networking and evaluation. Participants learn techniques of mobilising community effort, generating appropriate technologies, building organisations, and establishing communication systems. Registration deadline outside of the US is 13 March; for US it is 27 March. Tuition for the course is $US 1950 per participant. To register contact: David Bartecchi, Registrar IISD, Civil Engineering Department, E.R.C., Room W108, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80522-2034, USA; tel: (1- 970) 491-5754; fax: 491-2729; email: csvbd@villageearth.org; web: http://www.villageearth.org/IISD/upcoming.htm

18 April, Brussels, Belgium: WTO CONFERENCE: IMPLICATIONS OF THE EU's GLOBAL TRADE POLICY ON HEALTH. For information contact: European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), 33 rue de Pascale, 1040 Brussels, Belgium; fax: (32-2) 233-3880; email: epha@epha.org

19 April: Geneva, Switzerland: ICTSD "CAFÉ & CROISSANTS" MEETING WITH WTO DIRECTOR-GENERAL MR. MIKE MOORE. The topics covered will be a post- Seattle assessment of stakes in the context of the future WTO negotiating processes from a trade and sustainable development approach, and perspectives for strengthening dialogue and exchange processes between the multilateral trading system and civil society. If you or your organisation would like to attend, please confirm attendance at the soonest date possible to: Stephanie Hanford, ICTSD, tel: (41-22) 917- 8374; email: shanford@ictsd.ch . If you would like to be included in ICTSD's invitation list for the occasional series of Café-Croissants informal dialogues, please contact Marc Galvin, ICTSD, email: mgalvin@ictsd.ch

24 April - 5 May, New York, NY: EIGHTH SESSION OF THE UN COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (CSD-8).  Main discussion themes are: Integrated Planning and Management of Land Resources; Financial Resources, Trade and Investment, Economic Growth; and Agriculture. For information contact the CSD Secretariat, United Nations Plaza, Room DC2-2220, New York, New York 10017, USA, tel: (1-212) 963-3170; fax: 963-4260; email: dsd@un.org http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd8/csd8_2000.htm

25-26 April, Washington DC, USA: INNOVATIVE POLICY SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE. Hosted by The Pew Center on Global Climate Change and The Royal Institute of International Affairs. This conference will present policies currently being implemented by industrialised country governments and the private sector to address the issue of global climate change. A roundtable discussion will be held following the Conference on the 26th of April. This "Developing Country Perspectives Roundtable" will be sponsored by The Pew Center on Global Climate Change, The Sustainable Energy Programme, and the Shell Foundation. The Roundtable is open to the public. For information contact: Michelle Pilliod, tel: (1-202) 544-7900; fax: 544-7992; email: pilliodmp@aol.com; web: http://www.pewclimate.org

26-27 April, Washington DC: ENVIRONMENT IN THE FTAA PROCESS: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE NAFTA MODEL? Hosted by the Yale Center for Environmental Law and the National Wildlife Federation. Deadline for registration is 1 April. For information contact: Juliette Moussa, National Wildlife Federation, 1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 502, Washington, DC 20036, USA; tel: (1-202) 797-6669; fax: 797-6646; email: juliettenwf@hotmail.com

26-28 April 2000, Denver, Colorado, USA: GLOBALIZATION AND ECOMMERCE: THE EXPANDING ANTI-COUNTERFEITING FIGHT. Annual Spring Conference of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition, Inc. (IACC). Panels will address internet-related intellectual property infringement issues as well as conventional forms of infringement. For a detailed agenda contact: Richard Wynne, tel: (1-202) 661-7083; email: rwynne@iacc.org; web: http://www.iacc.org

MAY 2000  [previous month]  [next month]  [back to top]  [other calendars]

3 May, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO GENERAL COUNCIL. Issues to be discussed include: Appointment of the Chairperson of the Council For TRIPs and of the Chairpersons of the Subsidiary Bodies of the Council for Trade in Goods; Participation of Acceding Countries as Observers in the Mandated Negotiations on Agriculture and Services; Measures in Favour of Least- Developed Countries; Capacity-Building through Technical Cooperation; Implementation And Transition Periods; Internal Transparency and Effective Participation of Members; Accessions; Review of Procedures for Circulation and De-restriction of WTO Documents; and Accreditation of Permanent Representatives to the WTO. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739- 5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

4 May, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO NGO-BRIEFING ON 3rd MAY FORMAL GENERAL COUNCIL MEETING. For information contact: Bernie Kuiten, External Relations Officer, WTO, tel: (41-22) 739-5676; fax: (41-22) 739-5777; email: bernard.kuiten@wto.org

4-5 May, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO WORKING PARTY ON GATS RULES. For information contact: Luis Ople, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5374.

8 May, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO GENERAL COUNCIL -- FOLLOW-UP TO 3 MAY GENERAL COUNCIL (see above). Members will discuss participation of acceding countries in negotiations; appointment of chairpersons for certain WTO bodies (incl. Agriculture and TRIPs); and transition periods for TRIMs. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739- 5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org.  For an ICTSD news report on this meeting see: http://www.ictsd.org/html/weekly/story1.09-05-00.htm.

8 May, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS. For information contact: Luis Ople, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5374.

8 May, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO COMMITTEE ON SAFEGUARDS. For information contact: Luis Ople, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5374.

8-12 May, Ottawa, Canada: 28TH SESSION OF THE JOINT FAO /WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME: CODEX COMMITTEE ON FOOD LABELLING. Agenda items include an Ad hoc working group meeting on the Draft Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods to take place May 6 and May 8. Recommendations for Labelling of Foods obtained through Biotechnology will also be discussed. For information contact: web: http://www.fao.org/events/default.htm

9-11 May, Geneva: WTO COMMITTEE ON SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILING MEASURES. For information contact: Luis Ople, Information and Media Relations, tel: (41-22) 739.5374; email: luis.ople@wto.org .

10-11 May, Geneva: WTO SECRETARIAT SEMINAR ON THE VARIOUS ISSUES RELATING TO GATS AND THE SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS. The seminar will take the shape of briefings followed by discussions on the GATS and the schedules of commitments and on the major current areas of work in the Council for Trade in Services and its subsidiary bodies. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

10-11 May, Buenos Aires, Argentina: INTERNATIONAL STANDARDIZATION CONGRESS. Hosted by The Argentinean Standardization Institute (IRAM), this conference includes topics such as: Standardization and Sustainable Development, Contributions of Standardization, and the Evaluation of Conformity and Standardization. The conference will be attended by the presidents of the IRAM and the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) and various representatives of standards associations. For information contact: Argentinean Standardization Institute, email: eaadas@sminter.com.ar

10-13 May, Brussels, Belgium: THIRD MEETING OF THE TRANSATLANTIC ENVIRONMENT DIALOGUE (TAED). The meeting will consist of several elements: update on TAED policy action, the open discussion with EU - US officials, a seminar comparing EU and US approaches to environmental policy making, and extensive discussions on substantive issues in the Working Group sessions. Deadline for registration for European NGOs is 10 April. For information contact: European TAED Coordinator: Ronald Kingham, EEB, 34 Boulevard de Waterloo, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium, tel: (32-2) 289-1090; fax: 289-1099; email: taed@eeb.org. US Coordinator: Rina Rodriguez, Defenders of Wildlife, 1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 1400, Washington, DC 20005, tel: (1-202) 689-9400; fax: 682-1331; email: rrodriguez@defenders.org

12-13 May, Nijmegen, the Netherlands: PALLAS CONFERENCE ON "ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM." This conference is sponsored by the DG Environment of the European Commission, Oxford University Press, and the Yearbook of European Environmental Law. Organised by the Pallas Consortium, the conference will discuss major challenges determining the nature and effectiveness of the environmental policy of the EU over the next decades. For information contact: The Pallas Consortium, tel: (31-24) 361-3090; fax: 361-5838; email: pallas@cpo.kun.nl; web: http://www.pallas.llm.nl

12-14 May, Nairobi, Kenya: SHARING THE BENEFITS FROM BIODIVERSITY: 15th SESSION OF THE GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FORUM. The deadline for abstracts is 1 April while registration is 20 April. For information contact: Laurence Christen; fax: (41-22) 999-0025; email: lac@hq.iucn.org; web: http://iucn.org/themes/gbf/index.html

15-19 May, Sydney, Australia: EXPERT CONSULTATION ON ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED, AND UNREGULATED FISHING. Organised by the Government of Australia in co-operation with the FAO. For information contact: Kevin Bray, tel: (61-2) 6272-4477; fax: 6272-4215; email: Kevin.Bray@affa.gov.au; web: http://www.affa.gov.au/ecoiuuf/

15-26 May, Nairobi, Kenya: FIFTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (COP-5). For information, contact CBD Secretariat, tel: +1-514-288-2220, email: secretariat@biodiv.org  Internet: http://www.biodiv.org/COPS.HTML 

18 May, Geneva: WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY. Items on the agenda include: (a) Status Report by the EC on implementation of the banana decision; (b) recourse to Article 22.7 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (on suspension of concessions) by Ecuador on the banana dispute; (c) request for a panel by Colombia against Nicaragua's sovereignty tax imposed on goods and services from Colombia and Honduras; and (d) proposed nomination for the indicative list of dispute settlement panellists. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

18-20 May, Wageningen, the Netherlands: SUSTAINABLE ENERGY: NEW CHALLENGES FOR AGRICULTURE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR LAND USE. The conference is being organised by Wageningen University, Wageningen Institute for Environmental and Climate Research (WIMEK/SENSE) in collaboration with the Mansholt Institute, the C.T. de Wit Graduate School Production Ecology (both in Wageningen), and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA, Austria). The main objective of this conference is to bring together economists and other scientists working in the area of sustainable energy and land use modelling, in order to discuss the implications for agriculture of a transition towards a society that relies on sustainable energy. For information contact: Alfonso Oude Lansink, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen; tel: (31-317)485194; 482745; email: oudelansinl@alg.abe.wau.nl; web: http://www.sls.wau.nl/congresme

19 May, Geneva: COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5393; email: nuch.nazeer@wto.org

21-24 May, Anchorage, Alaska, USA: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS. This conference is being sponsored by the Information Resources Management Association (IRAMA) to help companies take environmental issues into account in strategic decisions, as well as in operations. Some topics that will be covered include: eco-controlling and eco-balances; and environmental accountability. For information contact: Mehdi Khosrowpour, email: mehdi@irma-international.org; web: http://www.irma-international.org/call2000.htm

22 May, Geneva: WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY. This special session will be held to discuss both Canada's and Brazil's recourse to Article 21.5 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding (on request for a review panel regarding implementation of panel recommendations) with respect to their dispute over aircraft subsidies. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739- 5393.

22 May, Geneva: WTO WORKING PARTY ON GATS RULES. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5393.

22-24 May, Paris, France: 5TH INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF FRANCOPHONE PROFESSIONALS IN IMPACT ASSESSMENT. This meeting is sponsored by the Francophone Secretariat of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) and the Ministère de l'Aménagement du Territoire et de l'Environnement of France. The main theme will be: Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA). Some topics to be adressed are: the contribution of SEA to EIA policy, institutional aspects, the drawing up of legislative and regulatory frameworks, and the fields and contents of SEA. For information contact: Francophone Secretariat of IAIA, 380, Saint-Antoine West Street, suite 3200, Montreal (Quebec) H2Y 3X7, Canada; tel: (1-514) 288-2663; fax: 987-1567; email: iaia@secretariatfranco.org

22-26 May, New York: MILLENNIUM FORUM. This UN forum will assemble ideas and proposals of NGOs and civil society from all levels, seeking to create not only a new vision for the future but also an organizational structure whereby the peoples of the world can participate effectively in global decision-making. For information contact: The Millennium Forum Executive Committee, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120, New York, New York 10017-1822; tel: (1-212) 803-2522; fax: 803-2561; email: mngof@bic.org; web: www.millenniumforum.org

22-26 May, Dresden, Germany: CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH (CGIAR) MID-TERM MEETING 2000 (MTM2000). The meeting is being hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development. This year's MTM will be held in conjunction with the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR2000). The theme of MTM2000 is "Charting the CGIAR's Future - A New Vision for 2010". For information contact: CGIAR Secretariat, The World Bank, 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20433, USA; tel: (1-202) 473-8951; fax: 473-8110; email: cgiar@cgnet.com; web: http://www.isnar.org/

24-26 May, Islamabad, Pakistan: 4th SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE. This conference is hosted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and is entitled "Dialogue on Human Security." SDPI invites submissions of papers on any of the following topics: livelihoods security, food security, social security and political security. Abstracts are due 20 February while full drafts will be required by 30 April. All accepted contributions will be published in the conference proceedings. For submissions or information contact: SDPI, SDC Program Committee, PO Box 2342, Islamabad, Pakistan, tel: (92- 51) 278-134; email: saima@sdpi.org or fari@sdpi.org.

25 May, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: WTO LINKING WITH DEVELOPMENT. Organised by the South-North Federation, this international conference focuses on developmental perspectives of the WTO. The conference will host workshops, expert meetings and a public debate to explore the strategies and chances for a strengthened position of the south and democratisation of global economic decision making. For information contact: The Wemos Foundation, tel: (31-20) 468-8388; email: kristel.klomp@wemos.nl; web: http://www.wemos.nl

25-26 May, 1996 Classroom Block, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada: WORKSHOP ON SEAFOOD SUSTAINABILITY IN A CHANGING CLIMATE IN THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC OCEAN AND COASTAL ZONES. A participatory workshop to develop solutions and recommendations for research and policy to sustain the fisheries during anticipated climate change. Attendees will include researchers, policy-makers and those directly involved in the various facets of the fisheries and aquaculture business. Speakers will include the Hon. John Fraser of the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council and Dr. John Davis, Assistant Deputy Minister, Canadian Department of Fisheries & Oceans (DFO). For further information contact the University of Victoria, tel: (1-250) 472-4291; web: http://www.cics.uvic.ca/workshop

28-31 May, Brussels, Belgium. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM - THE IMPACT OF MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. Sponsored by the Friends of the Earth, Oxfam Solidarity Belgium, and the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, this conference examines the impact of modern agricultural biotechnology on developing countries. The conference aims to bring together people and organisations active in the field of rural development and environment on the one hand, and scientists as well as policy makers on the other. It also offers the opportunity to study the relevance of modern biotechnology for developing countries. For information contact: Martin Rocholl, Friends of the Earth Europe, 9 rue Blanche, B-1060 Bruxelles, Belgium; tel: (32-2) 542-0183; fax: 537-5596; web: http://www.foeeurope.org/

29-30 May, Brussels, Belgium: DG TRADE ISSUES GROUP MEETINGS. The main purpose of these issue group meetings is to provide an opportunity for discussions on the subjects in question. This meeting will focus on health, services, agriculture, environment and sustainable development. For information contact: Haitze Siemers, Trade G-1, European Commission CHAR 15/16, Rue de la Loi 200 1049 Brussels ; tel: (32-2) 299-0185 ; fax: (32-2) 299-0900 ; email: Haitze.Siemers@cec.eu.int; web: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/trade/2000_round/fmig.htm

29-30 May, Granada, Spain: PANEL OF EXPERTS ON PESTICIDE SPECIFICATIONS, REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, APPLICATION STANDARDS AND PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT (16th SESSION). At this session, FAO specifications under the new procedure for a range of individual pesticides will be considered. The 17th session is scheduled for 3-6 June 2000 in Rome and will consult on progress made on updating the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides. It will also prepare recommendations for updating the Code. The 18th Session is scheduled to meet from 5-9 March 2001 in Rome. Participants will consider new provisions of the Code of Conduct and update various guidelines in support of the Code. The 19th Session will be held from 27-29 October 2002 in Rome and will recommend procedures for the preparation and revision of guidelines and manuals and for updating the Code of Conduct. For more information contact: Gero Vaagt, FAO; tel: (39-6) 5705-5757; email: Gero.Vaagt@fao.org; web: http://www.fao.org/waicent/FaoInfo/Agricult/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid/Events/c.htm

29-30 May, Geneva: WTO COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN SERVICES (MFN review). For information contact: Jasmin Tacoa-Vielma, WTO Services Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5713.

30-31 May, Geneva: WTO TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY -- PERU. For information contact: Lucie Giraud, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5075.

30-31 May, London, England: THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS TO CHANGE THE WORLD TRADE DEBATE. Organised by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) this conference brings together trade ministers, senior government officials, and business leaders through a series of private-public dialogues. Some of the discussion will include: how to advance the ongoing WTO agenda; how to ensure that globalisation does not disadvantage some WTO members; and what are the benefits and impact of WTO rules for business and governments? For information contact: Sandeep Bahl, Commonwealth Business Council, Quandrant House, 58 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5JH, UK, tel: (44-0) 20-7747-6557; fax: 20-7747-6530; email: s.bahl@commonwealth.int; web: http://www.cbc.to

30 May-2 June, Miami, Florida: FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS MEETING (FTAA) NEGOTIATING GROUP ON SERVICES. For information contact: FTAA Secretariat at: ftaa-alca@ftaa-alca.4tz.com

31 May - 1 June, Ottawa, Canada: THE TRADE KNOWLEDGE NETWORK: TRADE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FROM A SOUTHERN PERSPECTIVE. This conference is hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Centre for Trade Policy and Law (CTPL), with the support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). This conference seeks to help build capacity at the national level in partner countries for stronger voices in fora such as the WTO on issues of trade and sustainable development. It also seeks to identify those areas where improved environmental protection may offer economic benefits from increased exports as well as environmental and developmental benefits. Finally, it seeks to bring developing country experience of trade and sustainable development linkages to a Northern audience that too often perceives those linkages through the filters of untested assumptions. Registration for the event is $CDN75.00, which includes two luncheons and full conference materials. For information contact: Christine Carlin, CTPL, tel: (1-613) 520-6696; fax: 520-3981; email: ccarlin@ccs.carleton.ca; or Aaron Cosbey, IISD, email: acosbey@iisd.ca

31 May - June 1, New York, USA: INTERNATIONAL AID & TRADE EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE 2000. Hosted by IAT and the UN Office for Project Services, this conference brings together the UN, NGOs and governments to help build business partnerships with commercial companies. For information contact: tel: (44)-(0) 1702-551-556; fax: 1702-551-511; web: http://www.aidandtrade.com

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1-2 June, Mexico: NAFTA CEC MEETING ON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION. The Commission for Environmental Cooperation of the North American Free Trade Agreement will host its Priority Regions Workshop for the CEC Biodiversity Conservation Strategic Plan. The meeting is open only to invited participants. For information contact: Hans Herrmann, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 393 St.-Jacques W., Suite 200, Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 1N9, Canada, tel: (1-514) 350-4340; fax: 350-4314; email: hherrman@ccemtl.org; web: http://www.cec.org. -- From IISD Linkages, http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/

4-6 June, Windsor, Canada: OAS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The 30th regular session of the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly will be a meeting of the hemisphere's democracies before the April 2001 Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, Canada. The foreign ministers will focus on human security challenges. For information contact: OAS, 17 Street and Constitution Ave. NW Washington 20006 USA; tel: (1-202) 485-3000; web: http://www.oas.org

5-8 June, Toronto, Canada: THIRD AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE (ABIC 2000). More than 1000 participants are expected from business, academia, government and international organisations. Under the theme, "Agbiotech: The Science of a New Century," participants will consider the opportunities agricultural biotechnology can offer. For information contact: Sharon Murray, ABIC Conference Coordinator, The Signature Group Inc., 489 Second Avenue North, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7K 2C1, tel: (1-877) 925-2242 or (1-306) 934-1772; fax: (1-877) 333-2242 or (1-306) 664-6615; email: siggroup@sk.sympatico.ca; web: http://www.abic.net/. -- From IISD Linkages, http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/

8-9 June, Geneva: WTO WORKING GROUP ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRADE AND INVESTMENT. For information, contact Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5393.

11-13 June, Irving, Texas, USA: SEVENTH REGULAR SESSION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CEC. On 12 June, a discussion will be held on the various areas of the CEC program: Environment, Economy and Trade, Conservation of Biodiversity, Pollutants and Health, and Law and Policy, as well as on issues related to Children's Health and the Environment. Members of the public will also have the opportunity to make oral presentations to the ministers on matters related to the CEC work program or on issues within the scope of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). In addition, the public is invited to attend the regular session of the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) on 11 and 13 June. The agenda of the JPAC session includes a workshop on Enforcement Cooperation. Registration has been extended to 9 May 2000. For information contact: Fabiola Gomez; tel: (1-514) 350-4303; fax: 350- 4314; email: fgomez@ccemtl.org; web: http://www.cec.org

12-15 June, Seoul, Republic of Korea: UNEP WORKSHOP ON MANAGEMENT OF DIOXINS. This is a workshop on the management of dioxins, furans, and PCBS, organised by the UN Environment Programme. For information, contact: Murray Newton or Heidi Fiedler, UNEP Chemicals (IRPTC), tel: (41-22) 979-9111; fax: 797-3460; email: mnewton@unep.ch or hfiedler@unep.ch; web: http://irptc.unep.ch/pops. -- From IISD Linkages, http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/

12-16 June, Bonn, Germany: 12TH SESSION OF THE UN FCCC SUBSIDIARY BODIES. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change subsidiary bodies meeting will be preceded by one week of informal meetings, including workshops. For information contact: the FCCC Secretariat; tel: (49-228) 815-1000; fax: 815-1999; email: secretariat@unfccc.de; Internet: http:// www.unfccc.int/sessions/00june/index.html.

12-16 June, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR MANAGING PLANT GENETIC DIVERSITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY. This conference is organised by the Palm Oil Research Institute of Malaysia (PORIM) and the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), with support from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Malaysia (MOSTE). The conference will review the state of the science concerning the conservation and sustainable management of plant genetic resources. For information contact: Patti Sands, Assistant to the Deputy Director, IPGRI, Rome, Italy, fax: (39-6) 575-0309; email: p.sands@cgiar.org; web: http://www.cgiar.org/ipgri/sosindex.htm

12-16 June, Bonn, Germany: 12TH SESSION OF THE FCCC SUBSIDIARY BODIES. It will be preceded by one week of informal meetings, including workshops. For information contact: the FCCC Secretariat, tel: (49-228) 815-1000; fax: 815-1999; email: secretariat@unfccc.de; web: http://www.unfccc.int/sessions/00june/index.html

13-16 June, Rome, Italy: IPPC OPEN-ENDED EXPLORATORY WORKING GROUP MEETING ON THE PHYTOSANITARY ASPECTS OF GMOs, BIOSAFETY AND INVASIVE SPECIES. Hosted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the International Plant Protection Convention. For information contact: Christina Devorshak, Associate Professional Officer, FAO-IPPC; tel: (39- 06)5705-4006; fax:5705-6347; email: Christina.devorshak@fao.org; Internet: http://www.fao.org

15 - 16 June, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO WORKING GROUP ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN TRADE AND COMPETITION POLICY. For information contact: Hans- Peter Werner, WTO Information and Media Relations, (41-22) 739-5286.

16 June, Fontainbleau, France: FREE TRADE AND THE ENVIRONMENT: CONFLICT OR CONVERGENCE? Hosted By INSEAD, this conference will consist of three main sessions: Tensions between regulatory systems, The North-South Dimensions in Environmental Issues, and Greening the WTO. For information contact: Valerie Martins-Boer, tel: (33-0) 160-746162; email: valeri.martins.boer@insead.fr

16-18 June, Oslo, Norway: ACUNS THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING: "THE EROSION OF TRADITIONAL PARADIGMS: TRANSNATIONALISM VERSUS SOVEREIGNTY IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM." This meeting is being organised by the Academic Council for the UN System/Norwegian Institute for International Affairs. For information contact: ACUNS, Yale University Box 208206 New Haven CT 06520 USA, attn: Thirteenth Annual Meeting, fax: (1-203) 432-5634; email: acuns@yale.edu

19 June, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BODY. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations, (41-22) 739-5393.

19-20 June, London, England: THE KYOTO PROTOCOL: THE END OF THE BEGINNING? This conference is hosted by the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA). For information contact: Georgina Wright, RIIA, Chatham House, 10 St James's Square, London SW1Y 4LE; tel:(44-20) 7957-5700; fax: 7321-2045; email: info@riia.org; web: http://www.riia.org. -- From IISD Linkages, http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/

19-20 June, Squaxin Island First Nation, Washington State, USA: INDIGENOUS CAUCUS TO CONSIDER TREATY ON CULTURAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. Sponsored by the Center for World Indigenous Studies, the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute, and the Morning Star Institute. Indigenous peoples from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama and the South Pacific have been invited to this caucus. Here, indigenous leaders, scholars, activists and elders will consider how to best ensure their traditions and knowledge are protected for future generations in the face of approaching globalism, TRIPs, and the WTO. For information contact: Rodney Bobiwash Center for World Indigenous Studies, tel: (1-416) 929-4581; email: abobiwash@cwis.org; Internet: http://www.cwis.org.

19-21 June, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO TEXTILES MONITORING BODY. For information contact: Luis Ople, WTO Information and Media Relations, (41-22) 739-5374.

19-21 June, Malmo, Sweden: ECOEFFICIENCY 2000 -- TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH. Sponsored by Sweden's central public authority for industrial policy issues, NUTEK and the Federation of Swedish Industries, EcoEfficiency 2000 will present strategies for attaining sustainable economic growth on the society level, the company level and the product level. It will also explore how profit can be increased and environmental impact can be reduced by application of the EcoEfficiency concept to infrastructure, corporate strategy, product development, and use of materials and energy. For information contact: Anette Blomstrand, MD, Conference & Congress Planning or Petra Kvist, Assistant, Conference & Congress Planning, BokningsBolaget Torstenssonsgatan 3 114 56 Stockholm, Sweden; tel: (46-8) 660- 8595; fax: 663 -1745; email: congress@bokningsbolaget.se; web: http://www.nutek.se/information/ecoefficiency2000/index.html

19-21 June, Geneva, Switzerland: SUMMER COURSES ON DISPUTE SETTLEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE, INVESTMENT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW. Sponsored by the Academy of International Economic Law and Dispute Settlement. The courses will offer participants practical insights into the law and dispute settlement practice of the United Nations, the WTO, and the World Intellectual Property Organization. For information contact: Professeur E.-U. Petersmann, ACADEMIE DE DROIT INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIQUE; Dpt de Droit international public et organisation internationale, FACULTE DE DROIT, UNIVERSITE DE GENEVE, 20 bd du Pont d'Arve, CH-1211 Geneve 4; tel: (41-22) 705-8542; fax: 705-8543.

21-22 June, Geneva, Switzerland: COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES. For information contact: Peter Ungphakorn, WTO Information and Media Relations, (41-22) 739-5412.

21-24 June, Montreal, Canada: THE 6TH INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT. The deadline for abstract submission and participation is 15 April. For information contact: INTERDISCIPLINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION (IEA) c/o Demetri Kantarelis & Kevin L. Hickey, 500 Salisbury Street, P.O. Box 15005 Worcester, MA 01615-0005, USA; tel: (508) 767-7296 or 767-7557; fax: 767-7382; email: khickey@assumption.edu or dkantar@assumption.edu; web: http://www.assumption.edu/HTML/Academic/conf/IICEcall.html

22 June, Geneva: GENERAL COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION ON IMPLEMENTATION. For information contact: Nuch Nazeer, WTO Information and Media Relations, (41-22) 739-5393.

22-23 June, Geneva, Switzerland: SUMMER COURSES ON INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION LAW AND POLICY. The courses will offer participants practical insights into the law and dispute settlement practice of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the World Intellectual Property Organization. For information, contact: Professeur E.-U. Petersmann, ACADEMIE DE DROIT INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIQUE; Dpt de Droit international public et organisation internationale, FACULTE DE DROIT, UNIVERSITE DE GENEVE, 20 bd du Pont d'Arve, CH-1211 Geneve 4; tel: (41-22) 705-8542; fax: 705-8543.

22-25 June, Geneva, Switzerland: INTERNATIONAL NGO GATHERING PRIOR TO UN WORLD SUMMIT ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. The principle objective of this parallel summit is to further enlarge the number of organisations acting and working together internationally. Meetings will be used to discuss the major questions being raised by corporate globalisation today. The objective is to produce a common plan of action for the future. For information contact: Comite Suisse de l' Appel de Bangkok, c/o Maison des Associations, 15 rue des Savoises, CH-1205 Geneve, Switzerland; fax: (41-22) 320-4261; email: bangkok.ch@europe.com.

23 June, Geneva: WTO WORKING PARTY ON THE ACCESSION OF CHINA. For information contact: Hans-Peter Werner, WTO Information and Media Relations, (41-22) 739-5286.

23 June, Geneva, Switzerland: IS GENUINE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE UNDER GLOBALIZATION? Organised by the International South Group Network, Resource Center for People's Development, ATTAC. This conference will investigate the question of poverty and social development from the perspective of alternatives to globalisation. It will cover the debate, exchange and struggles against globalisation, and will tackle the meaning of genuine social development in an era of globalisation. For information contact: Alice Raymundo, Resource Center for People's Development (RCPD), 24 Unit-7 Mapang-akit St., Brgy. Pinyahan, Quezon City, Philippines; tel: (63-2) 435-08-15; tel/fax: 436- 18-31; email: rcpd@info.com.ph and alice@info.com.ph (use both).

24-28 June, Iran: UNEP WORKSHOP ON MANAGEMENT OF DIOXINS. Workshop on the management of dioxins, furans, and PCBS organised by the UN Environment Programme. For information contact: Murray Newton or Heidi Fiedler, UNEP Chemicals (IRPTC); tel: (41-22) 979-9111; fax: 797-3460; email: mnewton@unep.ch or hfiedler@unep.ch; Internet: http://irptc.unep.ch/pops. From IISD Linkages, http://www.iisd.ca/linkages.

26 June, Coimbra, Portugal: EU-CANADA SUMMIT. For information contact: European Commission, Trade DG, Information Unit; fax: (32-2) 296-9854; email: eis@dg1.cec.be; Internet: http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade.

26-27 June, Paris, France: OECD COUNCIL MEETING AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL. The OECD Council will meet under the chairmanship of Australia. Journalists wishing to cover the Council meeting can register online at http://www.oecd.org/Forum2000/About/press.htm; for information see Internet: http://www.oecd.org.

26-28 June, Paris, France: OECD/OCDE FORUM 2000 "PARTNERSHIPS IN THE NEW ECONOMY." Sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Forum's objective is to impart and share information, improve communication and foster a climate of enlightened policy-making in the global public interest. It comprises two elements: a Major International Open Conference, and a Knowledge Fair for up to 100 organisations and companies. For information contact: Caroline Stevens, Touchstone Exhibitors and Conferences Ltd., 4 Red Lion Street, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1RW UK; tel: (44-0) 20-8-322-0044; fax: (44-0) 20- 8-322-0874; Internet: http://www.oecd.org/forum2000.

26-30 June, Geneva Switzerland: UNITED NATIONS WORLD SUMMIT ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. The five-year review of the Social Summit in 2000 will survey progress made and setbacks faced in world poverty eradication efforts, as well as analyse the relationship between poverty, human rights and development. For more information contact: Division for Social Policy and Development 2 United Nations Plaza, Room C2-1370 United Nations New York 10017 USA; tel: (1-212) 963-5855; fax: 963- 3062; email: esa@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev.

26-30 June, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO TRIPs COUNCIL MEETING. On the agenda (inter alia): observer status for international intergovernmental organisations; notifications; technical cooperation; review of Article 27.3(b); review of the implementation of the agreement under Article 71.1; and non-violation complaints. For more information contact: Peter Ungphakorn, Information and Media Relations Division, WTO, 154 rue de Lausanne, 1211 Geneva 21, Switzerland; tel: (41-22) 739-5412; email: peter.ungphakorn@wto.org; Internet: http://www.wto.org/wto/intellec/intellec.htm.

28 June, Geneva: WTO COMMITTEE ON AGRIGULTURE.  For information contact: Peter Ungphakorn, WTO Information and Media Relations Division, tel: (41-22) 739-5412.

28 June, Coimbra, Portugal: EU-INDIA SUMMIT. For information contact: European Commission, Trade DG, Information Unit; fax: (32-2) 296-9854; email: eis@dg1.cec.be; Internet: http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade.

28-30 June, Rome, Italy: TECHNICAL CONSULTATION ON THE SUITABILITY OF THE CITES CRITERIA FOR LISTING COMMERCIALLY-EXPLOITED AQUATIC SPECIES. This meeting is hosted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Government representatives will meet to elect the chairman, adopt the agenda, review the suitability of the CITES criteria for listing commercially-exploited aquatic species, formulate a recommendation to the 24th Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI), and adopt the report. For information contact: Mr. K. Cochrane, FIRM, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, tel: (39) 0657-0515; fax: 06570-5315; web: http://www.fao.org/INSIDE/faohqe.htm

28-30 June, Geneva, Switzerland: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION (47TH SESSION). For more information contact: A. W. Randell, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy, tel: (39) 065-7051; fax: 065-705- 3152; web: http://www.fao.org/

29 June, Geneva, Switzerland: CUTS PANEL DISCUSSION ON LABOUR LINKAGE FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF TRADE SANCTIONS. A panel discussion on Labour Linkage from the Viewpoint of Trade Sanctions on the sidelines of the World Social Summit for Development-5, being held in Geneva during 26- 30 June 2000. Hosted by the Consumer Unity and Trust Society. For information contact: CUTS-CITEE, D-217, Bhaskar Marg, Bani Park, Jaipur 302 016 India; tel: (91-141) 207482-5 (Four Lines); fax: 202968 or 207486; email: cutsjpr@jp1.dot.net.in; Internet: http://www.cuts-india.org.

29 June, Geneva: WTO ROUNDTABLE MEETING ON "TRADE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: MOVING THE AGENDA FORWARD". Discussion will focus on what is needed at the national and international levels to ensure that countries and their citizens benefit from trade. Views will be discussed by representatives from an NGO, from an academic institution, from business, from two trade-related inter-governmental organisations and from a developing country government. Presentations and the public question and answer session will be conducted by a moderator. The meeting is organised as part of the Geneva 2000 Forum (for registration, check site http://www.geneva2000.org ), a parallel event to the UN's Social Summit in Geneva from 26 to 30 June 2000. The meeting is public and will take place from 10 to 12:30am in the Centre International de Genève (CICG), Rue de Varembé 15, Geneva. For information contact: Bernie Kuiten, WTO External Relations, tel: (41- 22) 739-5676; email: bernard.kuiten@wto.org.

29 June, Geneva, Switzerland: UNEP ECONOMICS AND TRADE UNIT (ETU). An all-day meeting of experts to discuss the first draft of the "Reference Manual on Integrated Assessment of Trade-Related Policies." Please note this is an invitation-only meeting at which there is expected to be between 25 and 30 international experts considering the draft and making their comments, for the subsequent revision of the draft. For information contact: Mariko Hara, UN Environment Programme, email: mariko.hara@unep.ch, and include an explanation of your interest.

29-30 June, Manchester, England: ECO-MANAGEMENT AND AUDITING CONFERENCE RESEARCH WORKSHOP ON CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM: TOWARDS NEW MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. Sponsored by ERP Environment, in association with the Nijmengen Business School, this sixth annual conference provides a forum for the dissemination of research findings, practical guidance and case studies associated with the implementation and experiences of environmental management systems and associated corporate environmental management tools. For information contact: Elaine White, ERP Environment, P.O. Box 75, Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD17 6EZ UK, tel: (44-0) 1274-530408; fax: 1274- 530409; email: elainewhite@erpenvironment.org; web: http://www.erpenvironment.org/cfrence/indexc.htm

30 June - 2 July, Rethymnon, Greece: EAERE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. This is the tenth annual conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists. For information contact: Conference Secretariat; fax: (30831) 77728; email: eaere2000@econ.soc.uoc.gr; Internet: http://www.soc.uoc.gr/eaere2000/e2k/eaereinfo.htm