France alarmed by WTO proposals
France on Monday poured cold water on recent proposals in WTO free-trade negotiations and rejected the idea of a ministerial meeting next month to revive the long stalled talks.
By Agencies |
BRUSSELS: France on Monday poured cold water on recent proposals in WTO free-trade negotiations and rejected the idea of a ministerial meeting next month to revive the long stalled talks.
Last week, the WTO submitted new proposals on agriculture and industry to its 152 members in an effort to revive the long flagging Doha-round of trade liberalisation, launched in the Qatari capital in November 2001.
Ironing out differences in the farm and industrial goods components of the current Doha round of talks has long dogged negotiators while the pace of talks on services is also considered to have been lagging.
French state trade secretary Anne-Marie Idrac said that "we have a lot of questions" about the agriculture proposals and "for us French, there's no improvement on market access for our industrial goods to emerging markets."
"We are less than ever in an ambitious and balanced negotiation" she told journalists after a meeting of EU ministers in charge of trade.
Idrac said there were "many questions and a lot of concerns" expressed about the proposals at the meeting and that "a majority of countries voiced strong concerns."
An EU official speaking on condition of anonymity said: "France, Poland, Ireland and to a lesser extent Lithuania really have problems with what's on the table."
"Sweden and Britain are more positive," the official said, while "in the middle there is a series of countries with concerns" although "nobody called for the text to be rejected."
Last week, the WTO submitted new proposals on agriculture and industry to its 152 members in an effort to revive the long flagging Doha-round of trade liberalisation, launched in the Qatari capital in November 2001.
Ironing out differences in the farm and industrial goods components of the current Doha round of talks has long dogged negotiators while the pace of talks on services is also considered to have been lagging.
French state trade secretary Anne-Marie Idrac said that "we have a lot of questions" about the agriculture proposals and "for us French, there's no improvement on market access for our industrial goods to emerging markets."
"We are less than ever in an ambitious and balanced negotiation" she told journalists after a meeting of EU ministers in charge of trade.
Idrac said there were "many questions and a lot of concerns" expressed about the proposals at the meeting and that "a majority of countries voiced strong concerns."
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An EU official speaking on condition of anonymity said: "France, Poland, Ireland and to a lesser extent Lithuania really have problems with what's on the table."
"Sweden and Britain are more positive," the official said, while "in the middle there is a series of countries with concerns" although "nobody called for the text to be rejected."
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