Brazil, India Promise to Sweeten Non-Ag Trade Deal
Ministers from the G7 group of nations met over the weekend to try and give renewed life to Doha World Trade Organization talks.
Compiled by staff
Published: Dec 5, 2005
World trade leaders are trying to muster political momentum heading into this weekend's Hong Kong ministerial meeting.
Friday evening and Saturday finance ministers from the G7 group of nations--Britain, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan--met in London. Government officials from India, Brazil, China, South Africa and Russia also attended the talks.
Over the past several weeks the European Union has insisted that countries begin to move forward on non-agricultural issues before they offer deeper cuts to agricultural subsidies. This weekend baby steps were set in motion.
Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Celso Amorim, in a statement, says "Brazil is willing to cut non-agriculture industrial tariffs more than it had previously offered, if the U.S. and E.U. improve their offers to eliminate agriculture subsidies, shrink the number of sensitive products with special protection and lower agriculture tariffs in general."
The Indian government made a similar proposal, offering to further slash tariffs on industrial products and services.
A statement from the U.S. Trade Representative welcomed "the fresh signals of determination from Brazil and India on their readiness to contribute to a major outcome in the WTO Doha Development Round." However, no indication was given how the U.S. would respond to deeper cuts in agriculture subsidies.
The EU on the other hand showed continued signs of divisions among its own members. France denied there was in change in its negotiating policy, saying it cannot go deeper than the 2003 cuts already imposed in its common agricultural program. Britain favored new cuts in European farm support.
The Hong Kong ministerial meeting runs from Dec. 13-Dec. 18. Leaders hope to still complete the negotiations round by 2006.
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