EU-WTO: Pascal Lamy welcomes Council conclusions on the Road to Cancun

EU Member States have adopted a set of conclusions setting out the EU's views on the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun in September 2003, a half-way point in the negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda. EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy welcomed this move: "With today's conclusions and the resolution recently adopted by the European Parliament, it's now full speed ahead for Cancun. The challenge ahead is clear and shared by all current and ten new Member States: make sure that more trade opening and rules work to the benefit of all, and in particular developing countries."

The conclusions highlight:

• Agriculture: modalities need to be agreed by Cancún. After further reform of the EU's agricultural policy, the EU is ready to lead the way towards an ambitious outcome.
  
  
• Industrial goods: modalities also need to be agreed in Cancun. The EU wishes to see further tariff cuts based on a single formula addressing tariff peaks, tariff escalation and high tariffs, as well as action on non-tariff barriers.
  
  
• Access to medicines for poor countries with no manufacturing capacity: the conclusions calls on the US to join the consensus already reached with all other WTO members.
  
  
• Development dimension: ensure that Cancun agrees on a package of concrete and substantial measures giving developing countries special and preferential treatment. The Council also stresses the need to agree on a set of measures aimed at least-developed countries, including all developed countries granting duty-free and quota free access to LDCs products.
  
  
• Singapore issues: stresses the need to launch negotiations on all four issues, ie competition, investment, trade facilitation and transparency in public procurement.
  
  
• Trade and the environment: the Council stresses the need to reach a successful result in Cancun.

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