Brussels, 27/08/2003 (Agence Europe) - A fortnight ahead of the Cancun Summit, Eurocommerce (representing European commerce) has appealed to the 146 WTO members to approve a series of clear commitments to greater liberalisation, more multilateralism and more development".
In making its case, Eurocommerce urges the WTO to cut customs tariffs, particularly for textiles, clothing and agriculture, and to remove non-tariff trade barriers like technical rules and red tape. Eurocommerce argues that the key issue in the Doha negotiations is market access.
Substantial trade liberalisation for both goods and services is in the interests of both European trade and the developing world, according to Eurocommerce, stressing that trade ministers have to keep their word in Cancun and decide on how future negotiations will be organised. Eurocommerce strongly supports the idea of launching new negotiations to simplify and harmonise customs procedures ("trade facilitation").