WTO-onderhandelingen volgens Lamy: "hoofdspelers moeten opschuiven" (en)

The three key protagonists in the round must shift their positions: the United States on its domestic support for agriculture, the European Union on its farm tariffs and the G20 on its industrial tariffs. The date set for the conclusion of the round is approaching fast: it is the end of this year, the expiry date for the US administration's negotiating mandate", WTO director-general Pascal Lamy told the EP International Trade Committee on Thursday.

This deadline prompted a sceptical response from MEPs such as Robert Sturdy (EPP-ED, UK), who wondered "what the United States wants and if it is really ready to negotiate by the end of April, when it has found an excuse not to negotiate every time: the presidential elections and then the war in Iraq". Erika Mann (PES, DE) did not believe "the date set by the United States and its administration. Ten years ago the US administration got its mandate extended".

On the role of the European Parliament i in the WTO negotiations, several MEPs, including Trade Committee chair Enrique Barón Crespo (PES, ES) and Georgios Pastamkos (EPP-ED, EL), said it was important not "to give more weight to NGOs than to the representatives of the people". According to Mr Lamy, "the Parliament must act through the Interparliamentary Union - the international organisation of parliaments of sovereign states - which should adopt a resolution clearly stating the place and role of parliamentarians so as to put pressure on the members of the WTO: the national governments".

"The time for taking small steps is over"

Earlier that week, the Trade and Agriculture Committees held talks with Commissioners Peter Mandelson i and Mariann Fisher-Boel i on the state of play in the Doha Round negotiations.

"The time for taking small steps is over. The truth is that only action by a key group of actors will unblock the process, which must satisfy all members of the WTO, particularly the least developed countries", said Commissioner Mandelson, who made his comments in the wake the London summit of 10-11 March 2006 which brought together the members of the G6 (EU, USA, Japan, Brazil, India and Australia). Despite everything "the EU is in a far better position than before the Hong Kong Ministerial. We have stuck to a firm position on our interests and the members of the WTO realise today that a new offer on agriculture is not on the agenda", continued the Commissioner.

Referring to the 10 years of the Barcelona process and its positive impact on free trade, Mr Mandelson described the dual goal of the meeting of EuroMed trade ministers in Marrakesh: south-south integration with a free-trade area which should be in place by 2010 and "strengthening of our alliances before the April meeting in Geneva".

Georgios Papastamkos (EPP-ED, EL), Parliament's rapporteur on the WTO, whose report is due for adoption at the April plenary session, said we had reached "a crucial stage of the negotiations and our voice must be heard clearly. We are still in the logic of a single package". 

Members of the Agriculture Committee heard about the state of play in the WTO negotiations from Mariann Fisher-Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, who confirmed that the EU had no intention of making new proposals. The WTO talks were " not a win-win, but a lose-lose situation ", in which the American system of countercyclical payments, export subsidies and food aid as well as Brazil's intransigence on industrial products were the main hurdles to be overcome. Joseph Daul (EPP-ED, FR), chair of the Agriculture Committee, said the issue of feeding over 450 million European citizens must not be overlooked. Security of food supplies was an increasingly political issue, especially following the recent Argentinian decision to block beef exports.

21/03/2006

Committee on International Trade

Chair : Enrique BARON CRESPO (PES, ES)

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Chair : Joseph DAUL (EPP-ED, FR)