CIEL and partners request web-casting of EC - Bananas hearing at the WTO

November 2, 2007

The Center for International Environmental Law, joined by the Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (Kenya), Both ENDS (Netherlands) and Jagrata Juba Shangha (Bangladesh), has today petitioned the WTO compliance panel in EC - Bananas III (DS 27) to allow web-casting of the proceedings.

The meeting on compliance (to be held in Geneva on the 6th - 7th of November) was opened by the panel at the request of the parties. WTO members and interested members of the public have been invited to watch from the viewing gallery. This dispute is of great interest to developing countries as its outcome will have major implications for the future and design of trade-relations between developed and developing country blocks. However, since many interested government representatives and citizens will be unable to bear the cost of travel and accommodation, especially from developing countries, they will miss out on their chance to observe the hearing. Web-casting is a useful and inexpensive solution to address this problem.