EU hopeful of WTO compromise

Trade commissioner says deal within reach if political will exists.

The chances of success of an EU proposal to revive the Doha round of world trade talks should be known this month, Karel De Gucht, the European commissioner for trade, said today (13 May).

De Gucht said that the gaps that needed to be bridged at the World Trade Organization (WTO) were “still enormous” but that success was possible with “political will”.

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On Wednesday (11 May), Brazil, China and India rejected the EU’s proposal because they said sectoral tariff reductions should remain voluntary.

The Doha round is expected to figure prominently on the agenda of a summit of the G8 group of leading economies in Deauville, France, on 26-27 May.

De Gucht spoke after a meeting of member states’ trade ministers today. They also discussed possible trade talks with Japan, ongoing negotiations with Canada and Mercosur countries, and European Commission proposals to halve the number of developing countries benefiting from preferential access to the EU’s market.

The main disagreement over Doha is to what extent developing countries will have to provide binding commitments to scrap or reduce tariffs on entire industrial sectors. Poorer countries argue that the parameters of the negotiations on non-agricultural market access (NAMA) given them a choice on the matter.

The EU’s proposal would allow certain exemptions as well as transition arrangements and other elements of flexibility.

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