12/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - Business leaders from the global textile and clothing industry will be meeting in Geneva on 21/22 September to discuss market access and assess the challenges they will be confronted with in 2005 once the textiles and clothing agreement drawn up under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) runs out, and the Doha Trade Round terminates. Euratex, which was behind the summit, said it was necessary to identify issues, determine their positions and define expectations concerning this trade round. Bill Lakin, general director of Euratex (which defends the interests of some 114,000 European companies), argued that it was also necessary to ensure that common concerns they might have, whether in terms of access to the market to other issues covered by the negotiations, be brought to the attention of WTO member countries and properly considered in the negotiations as progress is made. The conference is expected to be attended by 70-odd representatives from thirty or so organisations from the industrialised and developing worlds alike.