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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8398
Contents Publication in full By article 19 / 57
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/wto

Proposals of farm trade in Geneva on Wednesday

Brussels 11/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - Key proposals to reform international trade in farm produce should be presented to the World trade Organisation (WT) on Wednesday. Indeed, some observers expect Stuart Harbison, the WTO Ombudsman for agricultural issues, to reveal a plan establishing a detailed framework of negotiations. Harbison said last month that he intended presenting a draft plan before the WTO "mini-ministerial" that its to open in Tokyo on Friday. The deadline for an agreement on the framework of negotiations, that must include controversial issues like the formula for setting goals for the reduction of customs tariffs, is 30 March 2003, in compliance with the Doha Agenda agreed to in November 2001. You may recall that, so far, the United States and the exporter Cairns group of countries (notably, Australia and Brazil) want a reduction in import duties for farm produce and the setting of a maximum level of 25% for all products, whatever they are. The large agricultural importing countries, like the EU and Japan, on the other hand, consider these proposals too aggressive and are pleading for a more gradual approach.

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