Ministers from countries around the world have averted the collapse of a global trade negotiation, ending the six days of talks with a limited deal centred on the ending of European farm export subsidies by 2013. Developing nations welcomed the accord, struck after round-the-clock diplomacy in Hong Kong, but campaigners rejected its conclusions yesterday as "profoundly disappointing" and "more symbolic than substantial". Peter Mandelson, the EU's trade commissioner, said: "In a week of disappointments, this is no small prize. It is not enough to make this meeting a true success. But it is enough to save it from failure." Speaking on behalf of the G20 grouping of leading developing nations, Celso Amorim, Brazil's Foreign Minister, described the agreement as "a modest but not insignificant deal which could be a driving force to make real cuts in agricultural subsidies". Jacques Chirac, the French President, said the agreement would be good for economic growth and jobs in France, Europe and the world. "It will help the development of the poorest countries while maintaining the indispensable potential of Europe's farm sector," he added. But most of the really difficult issues in the global trade negotiation remain unresolved, despite the accord that emerged yesterday from fractious talks between ministers from 149 countries.
Developing nations welcomed the accord, struck after round-the-clock diplomacy in Hong Kong, but campaigners rejected its conclusions yesterday as "profoundly disappointing" and "more symbolic than substantial".
Peter Mandelson, the EU's trade commissioner, said: "In a week of disappointments, this is no small prize. It is not enough to make this meeting a true success. But it is enough to save it from failure."
Speaking on behalf of the G20 grouping of leading developing nations, Celso Amorim, Brazil's Foreign Minister, described the agreement as "a modest but not insignificant deal which could be a driving force to make real cuts in agricultural subsidies".
Jacques Chirac, the French President, said the agreement would be good for economic growth and jobs in France, Europe and the world. "It will help the development of the poorest countries while maintaining the indispensable potential of Europe's farm sector," he added. But most of the really difficult issues in the global trade negotiation remain unresolved, despite the accord that emerged yesterday from fractious talks between ministers from 149 countries.
Trade ministers adopted a compromise text Sunday to clear the way to a global trade deal in 2006, agreeing to cut farm trade export subsidies and providing special breaks for the poorest nations. The document provides for European Union agricultural export subsidies to be scrapped by 2013, a key sticking point, which the United States and key developing nations had wanted removed in 2010. Anti-poverty campaigners condemned the agreement as a betrayal of the poor but ministers from the main trading blocs welcomed it as a modest step forward which could pave the way for an overall trade liberalization accord in 2006. "We are tipping the balance in the WTO back in favor of the developing countries," said WTO Director General Pascal Lamy after the agreement was finally approved after six grueling days of negotiations. "You have put the round back on track, you have given it a sense of urgency," Lamy said, referring to the Doha Round of trade negotiations launched in 2001 and due to be completed by the end of 2006. Europe gives way EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said the text was "acceptable" after other countries had accepted the EU compromise on the date. "Today, Europe has gone further on its existing commitment by setting a clear date, 2013, for the elimination of export subsidies," Mandelson said. "We have demanded and received equivalent movement from the other countries. While the outcome of Hong Kong is not a great success, this move of ours is enough to save it from failure."
The document provides for European Union agricultural export subsidies to be scrapped by 2013, a key sticking point, which the United States and key developing nations had wanted removed in 2010.
Anti-poverty campaigners condemned the agreement as a betrayal of the poor but ministers from the main trading blocs welcomed it as a modest step forward which could pave the way for an overall trade liberalization accord in 2006.
"We are tipping the balance in the WTO back in favor of the developing countries," said WTO Director General Pascal Lamy after the agreement was finally approved after six grueling days of negotiations. "You have put the round back on track, you have given it a sense of urgency," Lamy said, referring to the Doha Round of trade negotiations launched in 2001 and due to be completed by the end of 2006.
Europe gives way
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said the text was "acceptable" after other countries had accepted the EU compromise on the date. "Today, Europe has gone further on its existing commitment by setting a clear date, 2013, for the elimination of export subsidies," Mandelson said. "We have demanded and received equivalent movement from the other countries. While the outcome of Hong Kong is not a great success, this move of ours is enough to save it from failure."
INCREASE IN NATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS (2007-13 budget over 1999-2006): Britain up 63% France up 116% PAYMENTS AS % OF GNI* Britain 0.31% France 0.36% *European Commission definition
Britain up 63%
France up 116%
PAYMENTS AS % OF GNI*
Britain 0.31%
France 0.36%
*European Commission definition
with a limited deal centred on the ending of European farm export subsidies by 2013.
The deal ends ALL farm export subsidies, not just European. Is it just incompetence, or have these journalists been brainwashed to the point where Europe = farm subsidies = evil and nothing else can enter that equation? In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
(No snark at all.)
