Brussels, 23/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - EU27 trade ministers will be meeting in Brussels on Monday 26 September to discuss the Doha trade round, Russia's application to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and EU free trade deals with India, Ukraine, Peru, Colombia and Central America. The ministers will also be discussing a strengthening of trade ties with North Africa affected by the Arab spring earlier this year.
The politicians will start by discussing the latest developments in the Doha trade round and the prospects for the 8th ministerial conference, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 15-17 December 2011. Although it is now clear that a full agreement will not be reached at the end of the year, the WTO director general Pascal Lamy wants a basic agreement in December, setting out the trade advantages for less developed countries (LDCs) and progress on trade facilitation, export competition, subsidised fishing, special and differentiated treatment and environmental goods and services. The WTO also wants agreement on the timing of future negotiations, but recent developments in Geneva underline the problems encountered by member countries in deciding what exactly is to be covered by the basic agreement expected this December.
The European Commission will brief the Council on progress in Russia's WTO accession talks and possible solutions to work in progress in EU and global trade talks. Moscow wants basic agreement to be reached on it joining the WTO at the upcoming ministerial conference in Geneva. Consensus is normally required for such decisions but, in addition to the problem of opposition from Georgia, which is in dispute with Russia over the introduction of common customs duties in South Ossetia, there is also the question to be settled of health and plant health measures introduced in Russia (often used to prevent the import of farm products - meat, for example) and the investment system for Russia's car industry.
The EU27 ministers will be examining prospects for the signing of a free trade agreement between the EU and India. Progress has been slow in the talks that began in 2007, which include chapters on access to the goods and services market, investment, standards and checking conformity, health and plant health rules, intellectual property, trade facilitation, customs procedures, public tender and competition. The agreement will also cover cooperation on sustainable development, social affairs and the environment. The ministers will consider the prospects of speedy conclusion of the negotiations. The main areas yet to be agreed upon include customs duty on cars, wines and spirits, intellectual property (particularly geographical indications), public tender and opening up the services market. The talks picked up in 2011, but the timetable of Indian elections and politics in 2012 does not look promising.
The Commission will brief the ministers on progress in the talks with Ukraine to set up a free trade zone, and the ministers will discuss whether talks are likely to be concluded this year at the upcoming summit between the EU and Ukraine. Substantial progress has been made this year, but several issues remain on the table, such as the car industry, export duty, transport services and energy.
The Council of Ministers will discuss ways of strengthening ties with southern Mediterranean countries to back the transition towards democracy. The Commission wants attention to focus on the negotiations currently underway and preparing for free trade zones.
The Commission will brief the Council on preparations for the publication of draft decisions on the signing and conclusion of free trade deals with Colombia, Peru and Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama), along with draft regulations on the application of safeguard clauses in the said free trade deals.
Over lunch, the politicians will discuss developments in the EU's relations with the United States and China. (EH/transl.fl)