Brussels, 23/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - UNICE considers "it is more necessary and more urgent than ever that the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference takes place, as planned, on 9-13 November, and that Ministers launch, in the general interest, a new comprehensive round of negotiations". It is also essential that "this decision is taken in a totally transparent way and that the arrangements planned to associate civil society to the conference are maintained", insists the European employers.
From the point of view of priorities, UNICE states it is "encouraged" by the proposed general guidelines to be discussed in Geneva with regard to services, simplification and harmonisation of trade and customs procedures and market access. It urges Community negotiators, however, to "continue their efforts regarding investment to get negotiations launched" and continues to call for future negotiations to contribute to "reducing and preventing future misguided attempts at discrimination and protectionism". It is in this light that the employers return with insistence to the need to clarify certain provisions of existing agreements (antidumping), as well as the application of some other agreements, mainly in order to form a link between international environmental and trade regulations. It also calls on Community negotiators to "resist pressures which would put at risk the current balance of the agreement on intellectual property and thus hinder innovation, research and technology transfers".
UNICE is somewhat confident regarding the chances of success of the ministerial meeting. "With strong political will and some flexibility on the measures to be taken to achieve the set objectives", the 142 should, it believes, be able to reach a "broad consensus (…) on the launch of new negotiations" aimed at responding in a "constructive, transparent and open way, to the challenges and concerns which globalisation entails". This is all the more urgent, European business believes, given the "protectionist and inward-looking pressures which are developing around the world" with the "risks of economic recession in the United States, Japan and Europe". It warns against the temptation to give in to such pressures which would increase even further the problems which have started to "hit business head-on", although a real solution, one that is "sustainable and fair" is at hand: the reinforcement of dialogue and cooperation at multi-lateral level. However, warns UNICE, "Ministers must have the courage to move forward without delay".