Commissioner Lamy meets with Candidate Countries on trade

EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy will meet the Trade Ministers from the 13 Candidate Countries in Bucharest on 9 and 10 May to enhance dialogue on trade and promote their co-operation on WTO issues. This meeting is the last before the accession to the EU of ten of these countries. Ministers will review progress made in ongoing WTO negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda, in preparation for the forthcoming Ministerial Meeting in September in Cancun, Mexico. Commissioner Lamy said: "We know that speaking with one voice on trade matters makes us stronger in the world trade scene. This meeting provides an excellent opportunity to send a strong signal of our determination to a successful outcome of the Doha Development Agenda."

WTO Issues and the Doha Development Agenda

Commissioner Lamy and Trade Ministers from the Candidate Countries will take stock of developments under the Doha Development Agenda and discuss preparations for the 5th World Trade Organisation Ministerial conference in Cancun, Mexico, from 10 to 14 September 2003.

In their regular co-ordination meetings the EU and the Candidate Countries have already expressed their conviction that the way to a successful outcome in Cancun and of the Round is for WTO members to ensure that progress is made on all issues under the Doha Development Agenda. Ministers are expected to reiterate their commitment for a number of decisions to be taken in Cancun, in particular on improved market access for agricultural and non-agricultural goods, as well as on the modalities for negotiations on key rule making issues. Ministers will further focus on the importance of the development aspects of the Round and the need to make progress in agreeing provisions giving developing countries special and differential treatment and on implementation of existing agreements. They will also expect that Cancun will mark a decision on geographical indications, on trade and the environment as well as appropriate action on the review of the dispute settlement mechanism.

Dialogue on EU Trade Policy

Ministers will also review the main developments of the EU trade policy since they last met in Malta in may 2002. They will also discuss trade aspects of EU enlargement. Discussions will focus on areas where efforts still need to be made to ensure adequate alignment to the EU legislation. This will pave the way for the preparation of the Commission's yearly reports on progress towards accession, to be published in November.

In addition, participants will address various trade related regional issues, such as trade opening initiatives with the Western Balkans, the evolution of economic relations with Russia and other CIS states and relations with the Mediterranean countries.

Bilateral Discussions

During this visit to Bucharest, Mr. Lamy will also have bilateral discussions with Romanian President Iliescu, Prime Minister Nastase and Minister for European Integration Puwak. He will address representatives of the Romanian business community to discuss opportunities and challenges ahead, and meet bilaterally with Ministers from other Candidate Countries attending the Conference. M. Lamy will take this opportunity to celebrate Europe's day - 9th May - with Romanian guests at the European Commission delegation in Bucharest.

The Bucharest Ministerial Meeting

The Government of Romania will host the Ministerial Meeting between the EU and the thirteen Candidate Countries. This event follows in a series of Ministerial Meetings that began in Brussels in October 1998 and continued in Budapest (November 1999), Warsaw (July 2000), Ljubljana (May 2001) and Malta (May 2002). These regular Ministerial Meetings are key to establishing the overall framework, within which the EU and its future Member States exchange information and co-operate in the trade policy field.

Background

The thirteen candidate countries are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey.

Candidate countries acceding to the EU in 2004 are Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia


For more information please visit :

http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/bilateral/cc/index_en.htm

http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/intro/index_en.htm

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• Commissioner Lamy welcomes trade discussions with Candidate Countries (12/5/2003)