Brussels, 13/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - The spokesman for the global chemical industry is somewhat pessimistic about the possibility of launching a new round of trade talks before the end of the year. "There is still much work to be done to bring about an agreed agenda that is sufficiently broad to get all countries on board", said Gerry Finn, the President of the International Council for Chemical Associations (ICCA), on Wednesday, after a meeting with the members of the WTO in Geneva. The ICCA, which represents nearly 80% of the world's chemical products manufacturers, says it is "very concerned" about the insufficient progress made in preparatory discussions. In his opinion, the 141 members of the WTO must go rapidly "beyond expressing their differences (…) and come to closure on a sufficiently broad agenda to allow all WTO members the opportunity to support a launch" of the round. The ICCA supports this project with several priorities: - the elimination of chemical tariffs by 2010; the establishment of a set of basic rules on trade and investment; clarification of the relationship between trade and environment; harmonisation of anti-dumping practices; simplification of customs procedures (trade facilitation); and full implementation of the TRIPs Agreement.