Machine vision technology and a "post-Seattle" review of the current status of multilateral trade negotiations in agriculture are among the topics explored in the current issue of Industry Trade and Technology Review, a quarterly publication of the U.S. International Trade Commission's Office of Industries.

Industry Trade and Technology Review (ITTR) contains articles originating from research and analysis conducted by International Trade Commission (ITC) staff as part of its responsibilities to provide advice and technical information on industry and trade issues. The ITTR provides analysis of important issues and insights into the global position of U.S. industries, the technological competitiveness of the United States, and implications of trade and policy developments.

The ITTR is a publication of the Office of Industries. The opinions and conclusions it contains are those of the authors and are not the views of the Commission or of any individual Commissioner.

The current issue (March 2000) includes the following articles:

• Machine Vision: Vital Technology for Manufacturing Industries -- Machine vision is becoming an increasingly important technology that can be used to improve product performance and quality, increase productivity, reduce labor costs, and decrease liability in a wide variety of manufacturing industries. It is vital in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and the latest technological advances in computer chips would probably not have been possible without machine vision. North America is both the largest producer and consumer of these products in the world. This article provides an overview of the technology and the industry structure, describes the application of machine vision with focus on the semiconductor manufacturing industry, and examines future prospects for the technology.

• Agriculture in the WTO: The Seattle Ministerial and Beyond -- In early December 1999, leaders from the 135-nation World Trade Organization (WTO) met in Seattle, Washington, for the third WTO Ministerial Conference. Key among the objectives was to launch a new round of negotiations that would further reduce barriers to agricultural trade and tighten disciplines on trade-distorting domestic farm policies. The Conference was suspended without an agreement on key issues related to agriculture, labor, the environment, and developing country concerns. As a result, agricultural negotiations, mandated by the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture (URAA) to begin in January 2000, will be based solely on Article 20 of the URAA, which required continued negotiations aimed at further reductions in support and protection of the agricultural sector, but with no deadline for completion. This review examines the current status of multilateral trade negotiations for agriculture, identifies major policy differences among the major participants, describes why compromise in Seattle could not be reached, and discusses how the negotiations may proceed over the next few years.

Industry Trade and Technology Review (USITC Publication 3293, March 2000) will be posted on the ITC's Internet server at www.usitc.gov. A cumulative list of articles published in the report series is also posted. The ITTR will also be available at regional federal depository libraries in the United States. To request a printed copy of the ITTR or to be added to the mailing list, contact the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.