Jan 19, 2006: Brief line on WTO outcomes
from Hong Kong
Limited progress in Hong Kong avoided the
collapse of WTO talks but showed how difficult it will be to reach
agreement on tougher questions in the months ahead.
Agreement at
the WTO on duty-free, quota-free access to markets for Least Developed
Countries and an end date of 2013 for Export Subsidies gave negotiators
something, but not much, to show for 6 days of intensive talks
in Hong Kong. Even these relatively minor issues proved very difficult
to find consensus on with exceptions and provisos watering down
what was already a very weak text.
On the central sticking point
of agricultural market access the Commission failed to persuade
other countries of the validity of the European argument: namely
that proposals should be put forward in manufactured goods and
services before new measures can be introduced in agriculture.
Involving
Heads of State before the new deadline at the end of April might
be one way to unblock the talks. The message from Brazil, the USA
and others in Hong Kong was that there will be no deal without
further, substantial movement from the EU on agriculture. Hong
Kong was a small step in the right direction, but no more than
that. The blame game that achieved so little in 2005 must be replaced
by trust that new offers will not be pocketed with nothing offered
in return.
