Brussels, 07/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in the United States on 2 June, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht urged the United States to clarify what they want from the multilateral trade talks known as the Doha Round, so that a final agreement can be reached. “The Americans need to say what they want”, he said, noting: “It's a deal the Bush Administration refused. How can you expect a Democratic Administration without special authority from the Congress to do this deal?' (referring to the broad reluctance to agree to free trade seen in both parties at the US Congress). De Gucht added: “Doha needs a top-up and it is up to the US to come up with new ideas”.
Does the United States actually want an agreement? In a memorandum to the other EU commissioners sent upon his return from an official visit to the United States from 10-12 May 2010, De Gucht expresses doubt about whether the United States actually wants a global trade deal at this stage. “On the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA), Congressmen and various professional organisations confirmed that they did not consider the current package economically meaningful. The US Administration is seeking support of the EU to introduce 'significant changes' in this package - which indicates that the G20 commitment to conclude the DDA this year may well be out of reach.” Talking about a meeting with US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, the commissioner said: “The US considers the current package neither sufficient nor balanced enough'. De Gucht gleaned from meetings with members of the US Senate and Congress and business leaders that “there was no support either in Congress or from business associations for concluding the DDA on the basis of the current package and that it was unlikely that the three pending FTAs (Ed: free trade agreements.) of the United States with Korea, Panama and Colombia would be put to Congress and concluded in the near future”. (E.H./transl.fl)