Brussels, 11/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - Negotiators from the FIPS (Five interested parties - the EU, US, Australia, Brazil and India) met in Geneva on Tuesday to discuss the proposals put forward by the United States and the European Union (see EUROPE 9045) and more specifically, market access and domestic aid for farming, and criteria for aid to be considered as part of the Blue Box (less damaging to competition than Amber Box aid). A spokesperson for European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said the negotiations were very tough and intense, particularly with regard to market access. The United States latest package of proposals has been very warmly welcomed by all the countries present in Geneva since Monday, but described as not going far enough by emerging G20 countries like Brazil and India (the G20 also met in Geneva on Tuesday). The United States must not make do with surface measures, said chief Indian negotiator Kamal Namath, adding that the European proposals would not lead to any trade deals in the interests of development. US Trade Representative Robert Portman said on Tuesday that the EU could go much further than a 80% cut in its domestic farm aid. The FIPS will meet again in Geneva on Wednesday, joined this time by Canada, New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan and Switzerland.
The President of the Committee of Agricultural Organisations in the European Union (COPA), Rudolf Schwarzbock, slammed the EU's proposals outlined on Monday and expressed concern at the way farm negotiations were proceeding at the WTO, claiming that the Commission had overshot its mandate and urging Peter Mandelson to take a firmer line with regard to the United States. Schwarzbock said the EU negotiating tactic was failing and it was regrettable to see EU negotiators making one concession after another without getting anything in return. He accused Mandelson of giving way to Washington over various aspects of the negotiations, like market access.