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Free trade policy

Article as analysis

Russia: sanctions under scrutiny

The sanctions against Russia are deemed the only possible non-military way of bringing about an end to the war. Yet they raise many questions. What is their purpose? And how effective are they?

Switzerland blocks the COVID-19 waiver

The WTO is heading for a major political failure in its response to the coronavirus pandemic. As its 12th Ministerial Conference opens the day after tomorrow in Geneva, member states are unable to agree.

Political article

Schweiz bedroht das Recht auf Nahrung

In its free trade agreements with developing countries, Switzerland insists that they accede to UPOV 91, a convention that privatises seeds. This is at odds with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasant families, accepted by Switzerland.

Political article

WTO: Switzerland can breathe easily – for now

Despite the postponement of the WTO Ministerial Conference, Switzerland is finding itself increasingly isolated in its opposition to the waiver of patent protection on Covid vaccines. The WTO General Council could and should decide quickly.

MC12 : Exclusive rights must finally be lifted

The WTO Ministerial Conference will discuss the temporary waiver of intellectual property protection on vaccines, tests and anti-covid drugs. We urge the Swiss government to stop its systematic blocking at the WTO.

Article as analysis

Mercosur: fragmented impact assessments

After the conclusion of negotiations on the free trade agreement with Mercosur countries, the State Secretariat for the Economy commissioned an impact assessment regarding selected environmental issues. Social affairs and human rights were left out.

No more EFTA power play against the South!

250 organisations from 60 countries are calling on Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein in an open letter to stop imposing strict plant variety protection laws on the countries of the global South.

Political article

World Trade Organization courts women

The World Trade Organization purports to be pro-women. Yet a closer look at the Declaration on Women and Trade shows that it is primarily a kind of pink washing, a clumsy attempt at image correction.

Political article

After 25 years of free trade, we've had enough!

The newly founded platform "America Latina mejor sin TLC" opposes any new free trade and investment agreements. And the impacts of existing agreements are to be assessed.