Trade, Development and Intellectual Property

• Codes of Conduct and Social Labeling


• Trade and Finance


• Trade and Labour Standards


• Trade and Intellectual Property

QUNO has followed the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Multilateral Agreement on Investment from its beginning. This agreement has failed due to various factors. The US would not allow OECD to retaliate against the Helm-Burton Act. While the French and Canadians refused any cultural industries to be invaded by Hollywood. Many NGOs brought forward the issue of investor rights vs investor responsibilities, an area that still needs to addressed. QUNO made two public assessment briefings on these OECD MAI negotiations and would like to continue QUNO's interest in the need for a consensus on international rules on trade and investment.

Please view the report Whither the MAI?

With the prospective launching of a WTO Millennium Round of multilateral trade negotiations in 2000-- following on the Uruguay Round, QUNO activity will focus on the monitoring and reporting on the status of WTO preparatory discussions.

As issues become clearer, if and when investment is formally placed on the agenda, QUNO will organize seminars for delegations and other interested parties, especially NGOs and labour unions, to examine the issues of balancing rights and responsibilities.

• Publications