“The Trade Ministers of the European Union have analysed progress at the WTO negotiations following Hong Kong, and are in agreement that they see positive signals for further negotiations within the framework of the Doha Round”, said Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Labour, Martin Bartenstein today, following the informal meeting of Trade Ministers in Brussels on Sunday evening. Bartenstein had invited the European Trade Ministers to Brussels in his capacity as President of the Council to discuss further procedures for WTO negotiations.
According to Bartenstein the negotiations are on the right track. At the ministerial meeting in Davos it emerged that there is now willingness on the part of the USA and the G20 countries, i.e. the group of emerging and developing nations around Brazil and India, to move forward the non-agriculture areas in the negotiations, particularly with regard to market access for non-agricultural products (NAMA) and services.
Within the framework of the talks at the World Economic Forum in Davos organised by Switzerland, the timetable agreed in Hong Kong was further consolidated. On this basis detailed agreements should be established by the end of April/end of July.
Bartenstein said that, although the results from Hong Kong had turned out to be modest, the Doha Round could be finalised at the end of 2006 as planned if this timetable was adhered to. This objective had also been reaffirmed in Davos.
In view of the positive attitude in Brussels as well as in the framework of the talks in Davos, he hopes that the outcome of the round will be ambitious. Mr Bartenstein acknowledged the achievements of the Commissioner for External Trade, Peter Mandelson, whom he described as having done outstanding work. He added that the unity of the 25 EU Member States in their support of the EU Commission’s conduct of negotiations was particularly positive.
“The finalisation of the Doha Round is also particularly important for Austria. Ultimately every second job in this country is dependent upon exports. However, it is also important to represent the interests of domestic agriculture and to ensure that, in the area of agriculture, the result of the Doha Round is consistent with the reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy”, the Minister stated.
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