EU: MEPs regret lack of Doha trade deal

Source: European Parliament

External/international trade − 14-09-2011 - 15:10
Plenary sessions

Regrettably, the Doha international trade talks will not deliver a deal at the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva this December, but negotiators should aim at least to help least-developed countries without delay, say MEPs in a resolution passed on Wednesday.

The resolution on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations was passed by a show of hands.

No agreement by the end of 2011

MEPs regretted that it would be impossible to reach an agreement on the outstanding issues under the DDA at the Geneva Ministerial Conference (Geneva, 15-17 December). However, they nonetheless reaffirmed their full commitment "to a balanced and fair conclusion of the DDA, which would be an important sign of political confidence in the future of a rule-based and equitable global trade system".

Support for least-developed countries

MEPs expressed "strong support for placing development at the heart of the DDA", and urged the ministerial conference "to deliver at least in favour of the least developed countries (LDCs)". An agreement should, at a minimum, include duty and quota free market access for LDC products for at least 97% of all tariff lines, they said. In addition, MEPs called on all countries to follow the model of the EU "everything but arms" initiative in guaranteeing 100% duty and quota-free market access for LDCs.

Parliament also said that developed countries should eliminate export subsidies for cotton; and improve the preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from LDCs, so as to ensure that they are transparent and simple.

Food security, green technologies

MEPs called on all WTO members to further contribute to a comprehensive, ambitious and balanced development of the WTO, in order to ensure economic growth and eradicate poverty worldwide.

Parliament stressed that recent food price fluctuations made it necessary for international trade rules to promote greater food security. MEPs also reiterated the importance of improving access to green goods and technologies to achieve sustainable development objectives.

Finally, MEPs expressed disappointment that climate and environment protection factors had yet to be taken into account in multilateral trade talks.

Background

The Doha Round of international trade negotiations was launched in 2001 to create new trading opportunities, strengthen multilateral trade rules, address current trade imbalances and put trade at the service of sustainable development. A particular effort was to be made to integrate developing countries, and especially the least developed ones, in the world trading system. The WTO ministerial talks to conclude the Doha Round stalled at the end of July 2008.