EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson on WTO talks
22 Oct '05
3 min read
The Doha Development Agenda
Statement by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson following WTO talks in Geneva
"The EU was instrumental in starting the Doha Development Round and we have worked tirelessly to bring it to a successful conclusion. Talks here in Geneva have been useful. Not only on agriculture, but also on trade in industrial goods and services. We need closure on agriculture. But let me be clear that we also need clear evidence of progress, before Hong Kong, in industrial products and services.
We will work hard for a balanced agricultural agreement, including showing flexibility on market access. But this is not an agriculture-only Round and the EU will not be its only banker. The Round must have balance. Europe does not expect equivalence in outcome, but we have to register progress in all areas of negotiation.
The European Union will take no lectures from anyone on the needs of developing countries, or the development goals of the Doha Round. Our markets are more open to developing countries, in particular to the Least Developed Countries than any other developed market. We already provide tariff and quota free access to all imports from Least Developed Countries. We import more agricultural produce from the Least Developed Countries than the US, Canada, Japan and Australia combined.
We must now focus on what is to be achieved before Hong Kong. As Director General Lamy made clear last night, if we do not have formulas and methodologies in place for everything at Hong Kong, we will not have them for anything. With seven weeks to go, the logic of the clock means we need to make a breakthrough in the next fortnight - in all areas - otherwise we have to start scaling down expectations. That's the wake up call everyone needs to hear. Mr Lamy made it. I hope everyone heard it.
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