Vietnamese seafood exporters are facing innumerable difficulties as overseas markets are imposing a variety of trade barriers and challenges, including levying anti-dumping tariffs on imports from Vietnam. Among the most significant challenges are the European Union (EU)’s anti-dumping measures from the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and the US’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - Sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union against Russia contradict the principles of the World Trade Organization, First Deputy Chairman of State Duma Committee on Industry Vladimir Gutenev said Monday. “The anti-Russian sanctions imposed today directly contradict the WTO principles, which allows us to say that the opportunities granted by the membership in this organization are unlikely to provide the expected economic benefits,” Gutenev said.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a step backwards to the days before the World Trade Organisation when the US and Europe controlled the global trading system to the detriment of developing economies, says a former director-general of the WTO, Supachai Panitchpakdi of Thailand.

NEW DELHI—India's prime minister and his cabinet are expected to decide on Wednesday whether to effectively block a global trade deal, a senior Indian trade official said. India has said it would not ratify a World Trade Organization trade facilitation agreement reached last year in Bali, Indonesia, if it isn't given more freedom to help its poor citizens.

BEIJING—China’s Ministry of Commerce opposes the U.S. government’s recent decision to investigate possible antidumping and countervailing duties on Chinese passenger and light truck tires, saying the move “breaches the rules” of the World Trade Organization and U.S. laws. The ministry issued its position statement July 18 but did not attribute it to any individual. The U.S. investigation was initiated “despite serious flaws in the application for the investigation and opposition from the U.S. tire industry and related sectors,” according to the statement.

SYDNEY, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The G20 trade ministers gathered in Sydney on Saturday to discuss the contribution of trade and investment to growth and how to strengthen the global trading system. Andrew Robb, Australian minister for Trade and Investment, said in the opening remarks to the G20 Trade Ministers Meeting that trade and investment have become of great interest to replace growth driven by debt-financed government spending.

On July 19, Trade Ministers from the G20 group of countries -- including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union (EU) -- will convene for their annual meeting in Sydney, Australia.

(Reuters) - Eleventh hour negotiations to win Indian approval for a breakthrough global trade pact may not have succeeded in the end despite initial signs of progress, sources involved in the discussions said on Saturday. India is the most prevalent among a group of developing nations angry at rich countries for failing to address their concerns about a deal on trade facilitation - struck by WTO member states in Bali last year - that must be detailed by a July 31 deadline. Proponents believe the deal could add $1 trillion to global GDP and 21 million jobs.

(Reuters) - South Korea will scrap caps on rice imports from 2015, potentially opening up the politically sensitive market to more imports from countries such as the United States and China, in a move that has been fiercely resisted by many farmers. Seoul said steep tariffs would be used to protect its farmers. While this is likely to prevent a short-term surge in imports, farmers are worried that it could open the floodgates to foreign sales down the line in a country where locally grown rice has traditionally enjoyed almost mythical status.

BRASILIA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The president of the European Commission (EC), Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, Friday called for concluding negotiations and finalizing a free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market ( Mercosur). In an address at Brazil's University of Brasilia, where he was presented with an honorary doctorate, Durao said it was time that more than decade-long talks with Mercosur nations Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela concluded in a deal.