Lamy suggests relaunching international trade talks beginning with improved WTO working and assurance to developing countries

Brussels, 25/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner Pascal Lamy, responsible for trade, is proposing to create conditions for launching a new multilateral trade round on the liberalisation of world trade before the end of this year. On Tuesday, he revealed to the European Parliament the main lines of a package that he will soon submit to Committee 133 of the Union Council, in the form of a working document, before presenting some ideas to the General Council of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on 7 February, and then the whole plan to Geneva in one month's time.

The idea, he explained to a small group of journalists, is to draw lessons from the ministerial conference in Seattle by focusing on a series of less controversial and less visible questions. We must try to rekindle the process as soon as possible, he said, considering another failure would be absolutely catastrophic. Mr Lamy, however, does not rule out the fact that a further ministerial WTO meeting may be held this year. One must not wait for the result of US presidential elections, as this would take us too far and, he said, he is not sure that a new administration would place us in a situation that is much more favourable.

The package of preliminaries aimed at creating a certain consensus in Geneva and restoring confidence in WTO would be "a test (…) as to whether there is sufficient will and determination to launch a new round", added Mr Lamy. The limited agenda, which should be more "digestible" would allow the difficulties encountered in Seattle to be divided, leaving the problems of substance for the continuation of work, and would cover two sections:

• The functioning of the WTO, whose procedures are "probably outdated given the development of the issues and players". Some aspects can be addressed now: daily management of the system, dissemination of information, rules of notification, transparency, relations with other international organisations, clarification of rules and procedures, and so on. "There is a need to start with the simpler things."
• The commercial interests of developing countries that should have their confidence in the WTO and in the prospect of a new round of negotiations restored. The problems of substance should be tackled later, but some decisions are necessary in the short term, mainly for settling difficulties related to their abilities to manage trade matters (expertise, know-how, costs) and certain problems relating to TRIPS and TRIMS, to the implementation of Marrakesh commitments (derogations that they are requesting, late notificaitons) and improving market access for exports from LDCs. "The EU has already shown proof of openness in the document proposed in Seattle and it is willing to do even more on a case by case basis", he said.

This being the case, "we have also a tough task at bilateral level, with the United States and certain LDC, to reduce or reabsorb difficulties of substance", stressed Mr Lamy. Finally, he pointed out that an informal meeting of EU trade ministers will be held in Porto on 18 March. It will then be possible to discuss the prospects of launching a new round of talks.