WTO Ministerial Meeting Hong Kong
13 – 18. 12.2005
Dear members of the UECBV
After many months of intensive talks and negotiations, the WTO Ministerial conference has begun. As you would expect, I have instructed my staff to be on the alert for any important news and agreement and to brief you extensively over this important period for the UECBV. The briefing will include many links to external pages for you to research areas of your interest further, but also make use of the latest modern technology: The opening ceremony as well as selected speeches can be viewed online or listened to via audio recording. Finally, we will make use of Commissions RRS news feeds to be informed immediately on all developments and breaking news. I myself will be in Hong Kong from Wednesday onwards and update my staff live several times a day.
If you wish to consult the latest WTO documents yourself, may I suggest a look at
I wish you an informative lecture and us all a successful WTO Ministerial Conference for the European Meat Industry.
J L Mériaux
TABLE OF CONTENT
WTO Opening Conference ONLINE
L’Ouverture de réunion ministerielle de l’OMC
Pascal Lamy’ Ministerial Conference Diary EN-FR-ES
JOURNAL DE PASCAL LAMY DURANT LA CONFÉRENCE MINISTÉRIELLE
DIARIO DE PASCAL LAMY EN LA CONFERENCIA MINISTERIAL DE HONG KONG
The state of play at the DDA negotiations
and the objectives of the 6th WTO Ministerial Meeting
Monday 12 December – Before Conference’s opening
Mandelson warning on trade deal
Food Aid: EU urges US reform
EU offers big new trade aid boost
Negociations de l’OMC: Compte Rendu 12/12/2005
WTO related important links
WTO Opening Conference ONLINE
Source: / Reuters / Date: / 13 December 2005Watch the opening remarksof the WTO Minsiterial Hong Kong by clicking here
The World Trade Organisation meeting kicked off in Hong Kong on Tuesday (December 13) where negotiations among trade ministers could decide the fate of a four-year-old-bid to reform world trade to boost economies and lift millions out of poverty.
Deep differences over agricultural subsidies and market opening in farm and industrial goods and services trade forced the nearly 150 member states of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to drop plans to seek a draft accord at the Dec.13-18 conference.
But they still need to generate enough momentum to strike a deal early next year or the Doha round -- launched in the Qatari capital in late 2001 -- could collapse.
Deadlocked in negotiations for a free trade accord, ministers from around the world shifted their focus on Tuesday to delivering trade support to developing nations as they gathered for a week of talks in Hong Kong.
"This week all eyes are on Hong Kong. As host and chair of the conference, we will do our utmost to bring about its successful outcome but we cannot do it ourselves-- we are relying on your support to accomplish this mission," added Tsang.
There was no sign that the ministers would break their stalemate over cutting subsidies and import tariffs, which has pitted rich countries against poor, and anti-globalisation protesters turned out in force to wish them the worst of luck.
Hong Kong had been billed as the last milestone to an agreement on the Doha trade round, which was launched four years ago in Qatar with the aim of lifting hundreds of millions in the developing world out of poverty through increased trade.
The nearly 150 countries of the WTO still hope to reach a final deal by the end of 2006. But, bogged down over how far to open their farm, services and factory goods markets to more trade, they have given up plans to seal a blueprint in Hong Kong.
L’Ouverture de réunion ministerielle de l’OMC
Source: / EC / Date: / 13 December 2005HONG KONG (Reuters) - A l'ouverture de la sixième réunion ministérielle de l'Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC ), le secrétaire général de l'Onu, Kofi Annan, a exhorté ses 149 Etats membres à ne pas décevoir les millions de personnes qui "aspirent à sortir de la pauvreté"
Le rendez-vous de Hong Kong était censé, à l'origine, lever les derniers obstacles à un accord sur le "cycle de Doha", lancé voici quatre ans. Mais les ambitions ont été revues à la baisse en raison des divergences profondes subsistant sur l'ouverture du secteur agricole, des services et des biens manufacturés.
L'EUROPE VEUT SORTIR DU "TOUT AGRICOLE"
L'Union européenne fait l'objet d'intenses pressions pour aller, en matière de réduction des droits de douane sur les produits agricoles, au-delà de ses propositions actuelles. Elle refuse toute concession en l'absence d'engagements des pays en développement à ouvrir leurs marchés aux produits industriels.
Christine Lagarde, ministre française déléguée au Commerce extérieur, dont le pays fait souvent figure de "coupable" en matière de commerce agricole international, s'est employée à son arrivée à Hong Kong à recadrer le débat.
Selon elle, il est temps que les principaux pays de l'UE cessent de cacher leur jeu et affichent clairement leur souhait de voir la conférence de Hong Kong réussir. Elle a demandé aux pays en développement d'accepter de discuter des produits industriels et des services.
Peter Mandelson, commissaire européen au Commerce, s'est efforcé lui aussi de détourner l'attention des agriculteurs européens, disant que l'on ne pouvait parvenir à un accord en se bornant à placer l'agriculture au centre des débats.
"Se concentrer sur l'agriculture au détriment de tous les autres sujets conduira à un échec", a-t-il dit lors d'un briefing.
Mais le G20, alliance des pays en développement conduite par le Brésil, estime qu'un projet d'accord sur la réduction des tarifs douaniers imposés par les pays riches aux exportations agricoles doit être conclu d'ici avril prochain pour sauver le cycle de négociations commerciales de Doha.
"Il nous faut progresser sur l'agriculture pour que les autres volets progressent aussi", annonce dans un communiqué le G20, qui représente près de 70% de la population rurale de la planète.
Pascal Lamy’ Ministerial Conference Diary EN-FR-ES
JOURNAL DE PASCAL LAMY DURANT LA CONFÉRENCE MINISTÉRIELLE
DIARIO DE PASCAL LAMY EN LA CONFERENCIA MINISTERIAL DE HONG KONG
Source: / WTO / Date: / 12 December 2005The state of play at the DDA negotiations
and the objectives of the 6th WTO Ministerial Meeting
Source: / EC / Date: / 13 December 2005State of play
Fact sheets
AGRICULTURE
- The EU position
- Why has the EU not matched the US and G20 offers?
- Geographical Indications
- The EU Agriculture Offer - Key Elements
- The WTO System for classifying agricultural supports
- How will ‘sensitive products’ affect market access?
- Key facts on EU agriculture
- The EU offer on market access: The true picture
- The EU offer on market access: The wrong picture
Monday 12 December – Before Conference’s opening
Source: / EC / Date: / 13 December 2005PRESS RELEASE |PRESS AGENDA FOR 13 DECEMBER
PRESS CONFERENCE |PETER MANDELSON'S FIRST MEETING WITH THE PRESS Audio file
SPEECH |SPEECH FISCHER BOEL AT FAMILY FARMERS' CONFERENCE
Commissioner Fischer Boel at the Family Farmers’ Conference on International Trade
SPEECH |OPENING PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE
Commissioner Mandelson takes part in the WTO Parliamentary Assembly in Hong Kong
PRESS RELEASE |DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE
EU urges developed countries to adopt tariff and quota-free access for all LDCs
Mandelson warning on trade deal
Source: / EC / Date: / 13 December 2005European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has warned he will not offer new reforms on agricultural subsidies during world trade talks in Hong Kong.
Speaking as delegates gathered for the World Trade Organization (WTO) summit, Mr Mandelson said a deal on immediate subsidy cuts was "not possible".
The world's poorest countries want the WTO to reach a fair trade agreement that would see farm subsidies reduced. A deal on agriculture remains the main stumbling block at the six-day meeting. The WTO Ministerial Conference, which officially starts on Tuesday, is supposed to rubber-stamp a new global free trade agreement.
US pressure
Mr Mandelson said the 149 WTO member countries at the so-called Doha round of global trade talks should focus on agreeing formulas for cutting farm subsidies and tariffs next year.
"There's simply too little on the table to negotiate about in Hong Kong," he said at a pre-summit press conference on Monday.
Amid an atmosphere of low expectations at the talks, the EU and other WTO members called for planned trade measures designed to help 32 of the organisation's least developed countries to be implemented.
BBC News economics reporter Steve Schifferes said the move was widely seen as an attempt to shift the agenda of the trade talks to an area where agreement was more likely to be reached.
Mr Mandelson on Sunday held an evening meeting with trade chiefs from five key counterparts the US, Japan, Australia, India and Brazil.
Both the US and developing countries claim the EU is not prepared to make sufficient cuts to the support it gives its own farmers or reduce tariffs on imported food.
US trade representative Rob Portman called on the EU to make further progress on agriculture subsidies at the summit.
"The key to development is market access, agriculture access is the top challenge and we think that we need to make more progress here," Mr Portman said on Monday.
"The gains of expanding trade will not occur in developing countries or the Europe unless the EU is willing to agree to a formulae that meets the Doha requirements."
'Level-playing field,'
The EU has said its final offer of a 46% cut in farm tariffs remains a significant reduction.
Brussels also says it has an obligation to protect farmers in former European colonies, who receive preferential trading with Europe.
At the same time, a number of other developing countries also criticise the US and Japan for not sufficiently opening up their markets.
"Now it is clear that unless a miracle occurs - and I'm not even sure what kind of miracle - we won't have a final deal ... in Hong Kong," Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim said on Monday.
India's commerce minister Kamal Nath urged the EU and the US to end farm subsidies and open up their markets to developing countries.
"The WTO is not about free trade, it is about fair trade, and fair trade means a level-playing field," he said.
Food Aid: EU urges US reform
Source: / EC / Date: / 13 December 2005Referring to a World Food Program advertisement in today’s Financial Times, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has this afternoon defended the EU’s call for reform of the US Food Aid program.
EU offers big new trade aid boost
Source: / EC / Date: / 13 December 2005The European Union has today announced further substantial commitments to providing Trade Related Assistance (TRA) to developing countries. Last night the EU Council of Ministers, comprising the twenty-five EU Member States, committed to provide 1 billion euros a year in TRA from 2010. This is a substantial increase from the 400 million per year currently provided by European Member States.
Negociations de l’OMC: Compte Rendu 12/12/2005
Source: / FIPA / Date: / 12 December 2005Devant une assemblée importante de représentants des paysans du monde entier est
venue plancher une très belle brochette de Ministres de l’Agriculture des différents
courants de l’OMC. Ainsi, Mr Rodriguez, Ministre de l’Agriculture du Brésil, a tout d’abord étayé la position du G20 qui a pour principales exigences la suppression des restitutions au plus tard en 2010, ainsi que la baisse jusqu'à 80 % de la protection douanière pour favoriser l’accès aux marchés des pays émergents et très compétitifs en prix de revient.
Le G 20 exige également une réforme des soutiens internes en contestant notamment la PAC et la politique des USA sur leurs aides spécifiques. M. Rodriguez a indiqué que son attente était néanmoins modeste sur le succès de l’interministérielle.
Puis Mme Fisher Boel a fait une plutôt bonne présentation de la position de l’Union Européenne. En effet, dans son discours, les arguments « emploi et sécurité alimentaire » ont été mis en avant ce qui prouve que les actions entreprises ces dernières semaines pour faire pression sur la Commission Européenne semblent avoir portées. Elle a notamment cité la surface moyenne de 18 hectares des exploitations européennes afin d’argumenter en faveur des politiques de soutien au développement rural.
Pour le reste, elle a précisé qu’elle ne comprenait pas la contestation de la position de l’UE et ne s’attendait donc pas à un succès rapide des négociations. Les politiques de
soutien interne des USA, notamment le marketing loan et les mécanismes anti-cycliques,
ont été fortement attaquées. Elle a également affirmé qu’avant de parler des produits sensibles, il fallait un accord global sur tout le reste. Ensuite la Ministre de l’Agriculture du Bénin a fait un plaidoyer pour le coton en dénonçant toutes les aides qui viennent enrayer la liberté du commerce.
Le Ministre japonais a, quant à lui, parlé au nom du G10, les pays importateurs étant, à ses dires, fondés à se défendre contre toutes agressions commerciales susceptibles de mettre en péril leur propre économie.
Enfin la Ministre d’Afrique du Sud, représentant le groupe de Cairns a « tapé » sur tout y
compris sur les aides, à ses dires, "planquées dans les boites vertes et bleues". Les positions restent donc très tranchées. Maintenant, ce sont les couloirs qui vont bruisser des négociations qui vont s’engager entre les différentes parties.
WTO related important links
Source: / Various / Date: / 12 December 2005All the latest multimedia statements, videos, press conferences and live coverage
Press Conference of Commissioners (Audiorecording)
First Contact with the Press (Videorecording)
Message from Peter Mandelson
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