Brussels, 04/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Secretary General of COPA-COGECA, Franz Josef Feiter, declared that EU trade partners, particularly those from the USA and the powerful Cairns group must now make efforts similar to those agreed to by European farmers. This statement came during he European Parliament's votes on preparations for the next Ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Cancun (see p 15). The Union has already made "substantial concessions on domestic support whose consequence could proved very harsh on its farmers, explained Mr Feiter. He also feared that, "European farmers will find it even more difficult to compete with imports under the growing pressures from the WTO to open the EU market. It is therefore crucial that the WTO negotiations do not lead to a further undermining of EU market prices and of the EU agricultural model, based on a multifunctional, environmentally friendly agriculture, producing high quality products". COPA and the COGECA are appealing to the European Commission, particularly after the decisions of the Agricultural Council on the CAP mid term review to ensure that "Community preference remains a priority". They are also demanding that the definition of the boxes is preserved, particularly the "blue box" for market support, which other countries want to finish with. "The EU is not only the leader amongst developed countries in opening its markets to developing countries but it has also made enormous efforts to reduce the more trade-distorting forms of support, which its trade partners should be doing. "Copega and COGECA insist again that mindless trade liberalisation will not ensure the welfare of farmers in the EU, nor for those in the developing countries. On the contrary, it would only profit the strong export orientated agriculture of the US and Cairns group countries".