Brussels, 03/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - Following his participation at the FAO Conference in Rome and a number of bilateral and multilateral meetings, EU Agriculture Commissioner Fischler struck a cautiously optimistic tone about the WTO farm trade talks. “The European Commission's post-Cancun reflection phase has come to an end. We have put on the table a comprehensive strategy how to kick-start the talks when the WTO meets in Geneva on 15 December. "Here in Rome, I have got the impression that everybody seems to be ready to return to the negotiating table. And there seems to be a certain reckoning that Cancun was a missed opportunity, which left no winners but only losers, especially the developing countries. The EU is absolutely prepared to shoulder a bigger burden to make agriculture markets more open". Mr: Fischler's listed his five tests to kick-start talks on agriculture and obtain success: Developing countries have to get a better deal; “Give and take” is the name of the game; Reforms have to be recognised, not penalised; Substance has to prevail over slogans. The rich can't go it alone.