Brussels, 12/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - At the end of his visit to Paris on Thursday, Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson welcomed the “constructive” discussions he had had with French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and several other members of his government, ministers Philippe Douste-Blazy (foreign affairs), Catherine Lagarde (trade) and Dominique Bussereau (agriculture) on EU trade policy and prospects for WTO Doha Round negotiations. “We share the objective of reaching an ambitious, balanced conclusion to the Doha Round in 2007,” he said in a press release, before going on that such an agreement “should advance Europe's economic interests across the board, while remaining within the mandate the Commission has been given in agricultural trade defined by the 2003 CAP reform”. The French government stressed that the EU's main trade partners at the WTO had to “act in the same spirit of constructive commitment so that negotiations can be brought to a successful conclusion”. Ministers pointed out firmly that the conditional offer of 28 October 2005 (see EUROPE 9059) “is a red line and uses up the Union's margin for negotiation”. In other words, Paris refuses to go beyond the proposal for a 39% average reduction in Community customs duties. Mr Mandelson has, however, committed himself to proposing a reduction of nearly 50% to come closer to the demands of the G20 group of emerging countries and encourage the United States to agree to a reduction in the annual ceiling from $23 billion to $15 billion for domestic subsidies to its farmers. “No new factor can justify a change in the Union's position,” Mr de Villepin told the press on Thursday after his meeting with Mr Mandelson. “We are waiting for tangible and concrete proof of movement from the other partners,” added Ms Lagarde, believing that “it is not up to Europe to make any kind of movement”. Mr Mandelson said he was “confident because there is so much at stake”. If a “genuinely ambitious and balanced” agreement were not to be found, “I think it would be better if I didn't bring back any agreement at all,” he went on.
The French government also encouraged the Commission to continue its discussions with the Council ahead of the launch of bilateral trade negotiations with some emerging countries in Asia, stressing that these talks should be “the opportunity for the EU to promote the European economic model by ensuring that conditions exist for fair competition and observance of social and environmental standards”. In addition, Mr de Villepin once again urged the European Union to think about implementing a carbon tax on goods imported from countries which do not respect international environmental commitments. Indicating his preference for a zero rate of customs duty, Mr Mandelson rejected the idea of a “Kyoto tax” at the end of December (see EUROPE 9330). Finally, Ms Lagarde called on the Commission to ensure that Europe can guarantee its SMEs access to public procurement contracts, as the United States, Canada and Japan already do to the benefit of theirs. (eh)