Little Progress Seen in Geneva WTO Talks
House leaders warn Congress may reject 60% cuts if comparable market access isn't offered in negotiations.
Compiled by staff
Published: Apr 21, 2006
World agriculture trade leaders gathered in Geneva this week to continue work on a multilateral trade deal. With an April 30 deadline looming, negotiators saw little progress on determining specific agriculture tariff reductions and market access issues.
Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., led a delegation of Congressional members to Geneva this week. According to CongressDaily, Moran told all sides at the negotiating table that Congress may not approve U.S. Trade Representative's offer to reduce domestic support by 60% if other countries are not willing to further open their own markets.
Moran, who chairs the subcommittee that oversees commodity subsidy programs, continues to make the claim that Congress - not the WTO or USTR - will write the next farm bill.
At the Hong Kong ministerial meeting, trade leaders agreed to have agricultural specifics laid out by April 30. With little progress this week, that now seems unlikely. Most say the "drop-deadline" is early summer.
Moran says for a successful Doha conclusion, developing countries would have to reduce barriers for entry for manufactured goods as well as agricultural products. Developing countries do not seem inclined to reduce barriers in either category, CongressDaily reports.
USTR head change could delay negotiations
A statement from the International Food & Agricultural Trade Policy Council says it is concerned that the timing of USTR staff changes may have a negative impact on the current WTO negotiations. Earlier this week USTR Ambassador Robert Portman was appointed the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Susan Schwab nominated to become his successor.
IPC Chairman Robert L. Thompson says: "It would be a pity indeed if this leads to further delay in the negotiations. We still have the opportunity to agree on some very important steps that could lead to real farm policy reforms, increase market access for agricultural goods, create a more level playing field for developing countries, and accelerate economic growth and poverty reduction in low-income countries."
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Tagged: farm, farm bill, agricultural trade
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