Geneva, 13 Dec (Kanaga Raja) -- In line with the proposed intensification of work on all fronts of the Doha Round of trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) from the beginning of next year, the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules is now set to accelerate its own work on the issues of anti-dumping and fisheries subsidies. This emerged during informal meetings of the Rules Group last week.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Nearly a dozen developing countries led by Brazil and India will sign an accord this week to cut tariff barriers and boost trade among themselves, a senior Brazilian government official said on Monday. Negotiations under the Global System of Trade Preferences Among Developing Countries were relaunched in 2005 in an attempt to diversify developing countries' trade revenue and reduce their dependence on rich countries.

SHANGHAI -(Dow Jones)- China will apply lower import duties on over 600 energy-related, basic material items and certain electronic parts in 2011 to meet demand and foster economic structure adjustments, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement Tuesday. The ministry didn't specify changes in the size of the import duties. But it said items such as propane and butane will be added to the list of temporarily lowered import duties for the first time.

The Bahamas is expected to start bilateral discussions on its bid to accede to full World Trade Organisation (WTO) membership early in the New Year, with the US first up, as it bids to have its initial goods (market access) offer ready for June 2011's working party meeting.

By signing an MoU on economic issues with the European Union, Russia has moved all the more closer to joining the WTO. Despite the usual norm of 5-7 years required for a country's accession into WTO, in Russia's case the negotiations have lasted for over 17 years and it appears that Russia would join the WTO in 2011.

A CARICOM trade specialist warned yesterday that the revenue losses the Bahamas will suffer from signing on to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe will be little compared to the "much more significant impact" that will be felt from new free trade deals with the US and Canada.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Friday that a compromise on the issue of export duties on Russian round timber is possible after the country joins the World Trade Organization. "We extended the 2010 terms [for the duties] to 2011; in the future, compromises are possible should Russia become a full-fledged WTO member," Putin said after talks with his Finnish counterpart Mari Kiviniemi.

Azerbaijan holds talks with 12 countries on WTO admission Azerbaijan is holding talks with 12 countries for the admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Mahmud Mammadguliyev told journalists. He said Azerbaijan is getting questions from the member states, answers will be prepared for the questions.

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Adobe (ADBE.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and other U.S. software manufacturers are pressing the Obama administration for a deal with China next week that could spur billions of dollars of additional U.S. software exports, an industry official said on Thursday.

Australia will release a trade policy review next year that may propose tariff reductions, Trade Minister Craig Emerson said, calling a dispute about foreign-exchange rate advantages in the global economy a “zero- sum game.”