Brussels, 17/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - Taking into account the commitment reaffirmed by 153 WTO member nations during the organisation's 7th ministerial conference (30 November to 2 December 2009, EUROPE 10033) to conclude multilateral trade talks of the Doha Round by end 2010, the European Parliament urges the European Commission not to go beyond its negotiation mandate in agriculture, which fixes CAP reform, already carried out, as its limit. The Commission is also invited to firmly defend the interests of the EU on the liberalisation of trade in manufactured goods (NAMA) and services, but also its position on geographic indications. Such is the main message expressed by MEPs in a resolution on the prospects of the Doha Round, in common with the EPP, ALDE, ECR Groups and adopted by 370 votes to 125 and 125 abstentions on Wednesday 16 December during plenary session in Strasbourg.
Firstly, the European Parliament affirms its support for the WTO, which, it says, is the guarantor of a “regulated” trade system and whose role is essential for better governance of globalisation and for ensuring a more equitable distribution of advantages gained. Welcoming the effectiveness of the organisation in channelling protectionist temptation while allowing member states flexibility in the adoption of economic recovery measures, the Parliament encourages the capitals to remain committee to free trade in their bilateral and multilateral trade relations and in all their future agreements.
In a second chapter of more general scope, the Parliament recognises the progress made in the Doha talks, since the 6th WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong in December 2005. Also, it notes the commitments taken by the trade minister of the WTO member nations during the 7th edition, in December in Geneva, to converge towards a breakthrough in 2010. Successfully carried out, the Doha Development Agenda could be an important parameter for stimulating economic recovery at global level after the financial and economic crisis, the Parliament states, nonetheless focusing on the development dimension of the Round. The Parliament therefore calls on emerging economies to shoulder their responsibilities as global economic players and to make concessions proportionate to their level of development and sectoral competitiveness. The emerging countries are, like the developing countries, also called upon to follow the EU's “Everything But Arms” initiative, ensuring duty free/quota free access to their markets for exports from the least developed countries (LDCs). The EU, for its part, is called upon to play a leading role in the promotion of tangible progress in technical negotiations in Geneva, striving to reconcile the different positions of the WTO member nations.
With a view to the 2010 breakthrough, the Parliament urges the Commission, which is conducting talks on behalf of the EU, to follow the objectives set out in the negotiation mandate granted to it by Council, with regard to the protection of geographical indications and intellectual property rights (IPPs), access to the market for NAMA, services and public markets, not only in developed but also in emerging economies, and minimum requirements on environmental and social norms. Nonetheless, on subjects relating to agriculture, the Commission is urged to scrupulously keep to its mandate, which fixes the limit of its action to CAP reform, already successfully carried out, on condition that equivalent concessions are obtained from EU trading partners. Concerning NAMA, the Parliament reaffirms the need for talks to result in an ambitious outcome, which would ensure new and real possibilities for access to markets through major reductions in duties applied while providing for special and differentiated treatment according to the member states. The continuation of sectoral initiatives in sectors of interest for EU exports is also highlighted. On the subject of services, the Commission is invited to maintain a firm negotiating position aimed at truly improving access by European services to developed and emerging markets.
The day after a ministerial meeting devoted more to the role and the future of the WTO then to the Doha talks, the Parliament does not fail to point out, in a specific chapter, its keenness to carry out reflection on WTO institutional reform, in order to improve the way it operates as well as its legitimacy and its democratic responsibility. In this respect, it underlines the importance of giving a parliamentary dimension to the WTO. The Parliament also calls in favour of strengthened cooperation between the WTO and other international organisations such as the FAO, the ILO, UNEP, UNDP and UNCTAD to ensure consistency between trade and non-trade issues.
Finally, with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and its new provisions on trade policy, the Parliament, which will be fully involved in the EU's international trade talks, calls for its new powers to be made official with a new interinstitutional agreement. (E.H./transl.jl)