17/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - Review of WTO information technology agreement still blocked. The review of the WTO information technology agreement (ITA) - in order to liberalise trade for 200 products (computers, telephone, fax machines, software, semi-conductors and office machines) - remains on standby. The situation could be settled in a ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific forum, in China in mid-May, said the head of the WTO, Roberto Azevedo, during his visit to the USA on 10 March. “I think there is a positive attitude but … like in every other negotiation, there are difficulties, and these difficulties are trying to be overcome as quickly as possible”, he said. The EU and USA are critical China for blocking the extension of the list covered by the ITA (see EUROPE 10970). (EH)