International Trade Daily | October 26, 2001 | By Arthur Rogers
STRASBOURG, France--The European Parliament Oct. 24 backed most of European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy's priorities as well as misgivings on issues expected to be discussed at the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 9-13.
The assembly supported Lamy's view that the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11 should not deflect attempts to launch a new round of trade liberalization negotiations.
"WTO members should convene as planned, to give a strong and clear message to the global economy that multilateral cooperation on freer and fairer trade will continue," the Parliament declared in a resolution.
But deputies renewed their demands that the WTO should respond to growing public concerns about the environmental, social, and economic impact of freer trade, and that commitments to poverty reduction and human rights should be "integrated into the WTO's objectives and work programs."
Speaking as the European Union's negotiator in the upcoming talks, Lamy said a process of orderly trade liberalization, with attention to the integration of developing countries, along with environmental and social issues, had assumed even greater importance in light of the events of Sept. 11.
On prospects for agreement, he reported, "In general, I consider that we are in a better position now than we were at the same stage ahead of the third ministerial in Seattle two years ago. Preparations are being handled in a spirit of positive cooperation."
Commitment to a multilateral approach to goals of growth and prosperity were now "widely shared" and reflected in "constructive" positions being taken up by the Union, the United States, and "a growing number of developing countries"--a trend which had helped reduce schisms that had disrupted the 1999 Seattle ministerial meeting.
"I think we have now reached a point at which we can envisage a new round that is ambitious, balanced, and in line with the Union's principal objectives," said Lamy.
A draft ministerial declaration, planned as the basis of the agenda for negotiations in Doha, had been unveiled by WTO General Council Chairman Stuart Harbinson Sept. 26 and had been viewed as "a reasonable basis for discussion" by the organization's membership, he said.
Environment Major EU Concern
As far as the EU is concerned, he said, the major "difficulties" about the text include the "lack of ambition" on environmental aspects. "We're hoping to make the negotiating mandate more substantial," he said. "But we have to recognize that the majority of developing countries are still, to put it mildly, hesitant about the idea of accepting negotiations in this area."
Lamy reiterated the case he set out at an informal WTO ministerial in Singapore Oct. 13-14, that progress on environmental issues should be pursued in the interests of the entire membership of the organization.
Equally, he viewed coverage of social issues as "too narrow."
Agriculture a Difficulty
The second major "difficulty" in his view was the "very sensitive" issue of agriculture. He warned that the Sept. 26 draft, which envisions the progressive elimination of all forms of farm subsidy, went beyond his negotiating mandate.
As for suggestions that issues concerned with investment and competition should be shuffled off into study programs. Lamy said this form of examination should not become "a substitute for negotiations."
On an "extremely difficult" area of intellectual property rights, Lamy pledged that he would he strive to reconcile the more extreme positions being adopted in the run-up to the ministerial, with a view to clinching a substantive agreement giving developing countries access to essential medicines, without undermining the need to support innovative research.
Copyright c 2001 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., Washington D.C.International Trade Daily:
