Brussels, 23/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Commissioner for Trade, Pascal Lamy, will take part in the meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, whilst his Agriculture counterpart, Franz Fischler, will be in Argentina and Brazil to take stock of negotiations on a free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur.
In theory, both sides must present improved offers for market opening, before the next round of negotiations in Brussels from 3 to 7 May. During the European negotiators' visit to Buenos Aires this week, both sides made an oral presentation of the level of their expectations from the other side. The aim was to make sure that European agricultural offers "are equivalent" to those of Mercosur for access to services and public procurement contracts, according to a European diplomat. "The aim of this technical exchange was to ensure that the offers exchanged will allow significant progress, so that negotiations can be concluded in October", said a joint press release. "Both sides are taking two weeks to analyse the impact of the information on exchange of goods, services, investments and public procurement", it added. The result of these talks was presented to Member State experts on Friday, in the "133 Committee".
The EU is apparently prepared to offer more generous tariff quotas on sensitive products such as beef, cereals, dairy products and coffee. In exchange, it is looking for an opening in the field of telecommunications and banking services, amongst others. It is not just a question of market access, but of regulatory issues such as non-discrimination and conditions for access to capital, a European source noted. Commissioner Fischler's visit should demonstrate the EU's willingness to make concessions on agriculture. He will also try to convince Mercosur that the reform of the CAP will answer its expectations on agricultural subsidies, by decoupling the levels of aid and production. UNICE recently published a letter stressing the interest for European companies in an opening up of Mercosur public contracts and services. In France, the FNSEA has called for "agriculture not to be sacrificed on the altar if an ultra-liberal concept of globalisation".