Brussels, 04/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - So as to clear the ground before the opening of the 6th negotiating round on an EU/Mercosur free-trade agreement, to be held in Brussels from 29 to 31 October, Commissioner Franz Fischler is to go to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay from 6 to 16 October. He will participate in bilateral meetings with the governments and representatives of the agricultural sector and visit several farms. He will also broach certain sectors to be the subject of bilateral talks, like wine and alcohol. During his visit, Mr. Fischler will try to "build up a momentum" to ensure the success of agricultural negotiations in the framework of the new WTO negotiating round, to be launched at the forthcoming ministerial conference of Doha.
Mr. Fischler will discuss the state of progress in negotiations over the liberalisation of trade between the EU and Mercosur. "Regarding trade in agricultural products, the EU is already currently Mercosur's largest customer. 50% of Mercosur exports to the EU consist in agricultural products, and 60% of those enter the EU without customs duties. In negotiations with Mercosur on a free-trade agreement, the EU unilaterally presented a substantial tariff offer in July. We do not rule out any product in negotiations. Total exoneration thus represents 8 billion euro, or some 90% of actual trade in agricultural products. The ball s now in Mercosur's court. We are therefore counting on benefiting from a positive offer in return from Mercosur in October", declared Fischler before his trip.
Mr. Fischler will stress that the EU intends adopting a "constructive attitude in talks over trade liberalisation within the WTO" and that it is prepared to further open up its markets to agricultural products and seek new markets for its exports. "We say yes to further liberalisation, provided all countries move in the same direction. We say yes to further reductions in our export subsidies, provided that other trade-distorting export supports used by our trading partners are also disciplined", said Fischler.
The Commissioner will be in Brazil on 8 and 9 October, Paraguay on 10 and 11, Uruguay on 11 October too, and in Argentina from 11 to 15 October. Worth noting that the members of Mercosur met in Montevideo (Uruguay) on Thursday and hope to reach a common negotiating position on the free trade agreement with the EU at the meeting of Mercosur's common market group next week in Montevideo.