Xinhua News Agency | August 03, 2001
BRASILIA, (Xinhua via COMTEX) - The Brazilian government will file a complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the increase in U.S. agricultural subsidies, authorities said.
The complaint will be presented when the WTO multilateral round of negotiations is launched, said the Executive Secretary of the Foreign Trade Chamber (Camex), Roberto Giannetti da Fonseca.
Press Reports here said Thursday that Giannetti also condemned a U.S. proposal to raise subsidies on sugar, wheat, cotton and soy.
He underscored that subsidies are a protectionist measure that caused the price of soy to fall. In July, Brazilian foreign sales of soy dropped 29.9 percent and 11.1 percent as compared to June this year and July last year.
Meanwhile, the foreign trade secretary of the Development Ministry, Lytha Spindola, also said U.S. protectionism affects 15 major Brazilian export products.
Both officials said the South American Common Market (Mercosur) made up of Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay demand the elimination of the U.S. agricultural protectionism barrier as a prior step to the establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
Parties concerned are working hard so that the new round of global trade talks can start at the forthcoming WTO ministerial meeting at Doha, Qatar, in November.Xinhua News Agency:
