U.S. labor productivity growth in 2006, at 1.4%, was the lowest in more than a decade and, despite a strong business cycle, the enlarged European Union saw modest productivity gains of only 1.5% last year. (...) U.S. labor productivity slowed for the third consecutive year in 2006 and was well below that of the other two largest advanced economies in the world, Germany and Japan (2.5% in 2006). The latest productivity estimates, running up to the third quarter 2006, suggest that most of the U.S. slowdown comes from service sectors.
Within Europe, Germany displayed a significant acceleration in productivity growth (2% in 2006 compared to 1.3% in 2005) even though most of its economic recovery is likely to be cyclical. External factors in the form of improved export performance account for a substantial part of Germany's productivity recovery while the domestic sector, particular consumer expenditure, still remains weak. Nordic countries, in particular Finland (3.7%) and Sweden (2.8%), showed productivity growth well above the European average. In contrast, the productivity record of most Mediterranean countries, particularly Italy, Portugal and Spain, remains consistently weak at 0.1%, 0.3% and -0.5% respectively.

Merkel called on Europe and the United States to improve trade cooperation to withstand the challenge of Asian economies. She proposed harmonization in some areas, ranging from technical standards for patents to regulations governing financial markets. But some European officials were skeptical about the proposals.
"This is unlikely to get off the ground," said an official, who spoke on the customary condition of anonymity. "The Americans aren't keen on it, and creating a new free-trade area of sorts is way too ambitious."  Trans-Atlantic trade relations are in a fragile state after talks to reduce barriers to global commerce broke down in July. The United States and Europe have failed to agree on cuts in farm subsidies and industrial tariffs that are essential to concluding a World Trade Organization agreement on liberalization, known as the Doha round.

The role NATO played in an age of military threat could be played by a trans-Atlantic free-trade zone in today's age of economic confrontation. The two economic zones -- the European Union and the United States (perhaps with the addition of Canada) -- could stem the dwindling of Western market power by joining forces.

A senior aide to Angela Merkel said the chancellor was "interested" in promoting the idea as long as such a zone did not create "a fortress" but rather "a tool" to encourage free trade globally, "which she is persuaded is a condition of Germany's future prosperity". Separately, on Friday, the US, Canada and the European Union complained to the World Trade Organisation about China's tariffs on car parts, raising the prospect of Beijing facing its first WTO dispute.

As German perceptions of China have grown more American, Washington's approach has shifted too. Speaking before his first trip to Beijing, Hank Paulson, US Treasury secretary, this week outlined a more balanced policy mixing traditional US criticism with praise for China's reforms.

Ms Merkel's aide said it was "far too early" to tell whether the project of a transatlantic free-trade zone would be part of Germany's priorities when it assumes the six-month presidency of the European Union and chairs the G8 group of leading industrial nations from January.

Each year the Center for Global Development and FOREIGN POLICY look past the rhetoric to measure how rich-country governments are helping or hurting poor countries. How much aid are they giving? How high are their trade barriers against imports such as cotton from Mali or sugar from Brazil? Are they working to slow global warming? Are they making the world’s sea lanes safe for global trade?

Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, is to chair an international group set up by Tony Blair to monitor pledges made to help Africa at last year’s G8 summit, the Prime Minister will announce today. Bob Geldof, the Live8 organiser, and President Obasanjo of Nigeria will also be on the Africa Progress Panel, which will be funded by Bill Gates.

Around 29,000 under-fives die every day from causes that are easily prevented, such as diarrhoeal dehydration, acute respiratory infections, measles and malaria. According to a poll, most Americans believe that the United States spends 24 percent of its budget on aid to poor countries; it actually spends well under a quarter of 1 percent.

Progress in the Doha Round has consistently fallen short of even the most pessimistic expectations. Four years of talks in Geneva have provided the necessary technical basis for liberalization agreements, but key countries remain unwilling to make politically difficult choices necessary for progress. For example:
• The European Union's offer to cut tariffs that restrict its imports of agricultural goods is far below what the United States and other agricultural exporters are demanding.
• The United States for its part is reluctant to cut its subsidies to its own farmers.
• Major developing countries such as Brazil and India are resisting European Union and U.S. demands for big cuts in their import duties on  manufactured goods.
This triangular deadlock continues, with no indication of any imminent breakthrough. Almost the only noteworthy Doha development in the four months since WTO ministers met in Hong Kong and set the April deadline has been President Bush's apparent downgrading of the Doha Round by moving his very capable chief negotiator, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, to other duties.

If, as many observers argued, the Doha round on trade liberalization was on life support before highly regarded U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman left last week to become White House budget director, it is hard to imagine what can be done to resuscitate trade negotiations now. (...) The political obstacles lined up to block an agreement in the United States pale compared to what confronts European negotiators and politicians in their homelands. If French President Jacques Chirac caved into the pressure from unions and student protesters over relatively minor reforms in France's labor law, imagine how quickly French nerve would collapse when Mr. Chirac or his successor is confronted by French farmers taken off the dole. Italy's political problems are equally daunting. With his political capital reduced, President Bush has apparently decided to cut his losses and toss the Doha failure on the heap next to Social Security reform and tax reform.

Peter Mandelson, EU trade commissioner, accused the US of lacking realism on agriculture, while the US trade representative's office said it wished the EU would put the same energy into the negotiations as it did in finger-pointing.

The anti-dumping amendment lets US firms raise a levy from competitors' goods which it deems to be too cheap. The amendment was ruled illegal over a year ago and repealed in February, but US firms are expected to benefit from it for a further two years. This latest penalty brings the total extra tariffs imposed upon the US to $36.9m. Peter Mandelson - the EU trade commissioner - has said that while the trade dispute has been resolved, US firms are still receiving payments. (...) Since the Byrd amendment was passed in 2000, manufacturers in the metals and food businesses among others, have been the recipients of billions of dollars in payments.

In a statement, the EU said the Byrd Amendment "has been a long-running irritant in the U.S.-EU trade relationship," but it added "that the huge bulk of EU-U.S. trade is trouble-free."

It will help EU winemakers to build on their current success in the US, which is by far the EU's largest export market. Annual EU wine exports to the US are worth more than 2 billion euros, around 40 percent of EU exports in terms of value. This agreement provides a clear demonstration that the US and the EU can resolve important and complex issues through bilateral negotiations and both sides are committed to doing so in the future.