| Future of Doha remains uncertain |
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In light of the recent vitalisation of the Doha trade talks, members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are currently discussing ways to advance the negotiations that have been going on since 2001. For many, the hope to finally overcome the negotiation’s deadlock has however receded into the distance, with developed and developing economies continuing to pursue divergent interests regarding industrial tariffs and farm subsidies. Ahead of a WTO Ministerial Meeting to be held in December, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht pointed to the rejection of a recently introduced EU proposal that was intended to overcome the discussion’s stalemate. The main reasons for the on-going impasse are to be found in the “fundamentally divergent expectations regarding the reciprocity of commitments that developed and emerging countries should take in opening their markets”, De Gucht noted. “One side asked for almost full harmonisation of commitments, while others insisted on far-reaching and preferential treatments”, the Commissioner stressed in an address to the European Parliament (EP) and the Commission. At their meeting in December, WTO ministers should thus try to overcome this situation and consider the needs and interests of all parties involved, including those of the Least Developed countries (LDCs), the statement reads. In a resolution on the current state of the Doha trade negotiations adopted last week in the European parliament, the EP calls on developed and emerging economies to guarantee 100% duty- and quota-free market access for LDCs, to ensure their benefit from the on-going negotiations. During the debate in plenary session on Monday, British Member of the European Parliament (MEP) William Dartmouth also reaffirmed the importance of Agriculture for developing countries “for most developing countries the critical aspect of the Doha Round is Agriculture. Around three quarters of the population of developing countries reside in rural areas and a majority depend on agriculture”. In this regard, he pointed to the detrimental effects of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) saying that the CAP “is equivalent to about $80 billion per year. This huge subsidy is a distorting factor in world food markets. It erodes the fair operation of the market in food, generates export dumping and damages the ability of farmers in the developing world to earn a living” he noted. Read the full EP Resolution here: European Parliament - Texts adopted Read Karel De Gucht’s Statement here: EUROPA - Press Releases Sources:  |
