Brussels, 18/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - Although the negotiating brief granted by the Bush administration, the Trade Promotion Authority (or Fast-track) is approaching (30 June) expiry, the new Democrat majority in the US Congress is looking at renewing the negotiating brief but subject to conditions. On Tuesday, Charles Rangel, the Democrat Chairman of the Ways and Means committee at Congress (the most powerful lower chamber at Congress and which deals with trade issues) provided assurances that, “We are prepared to give a restricted fast track, limited to the Doha convention”. Rangel is a top Democrat, quoted by Dow Jones, who did, however, suggest that any limited renewal of a restricted fast track would depend on the inclusion in the negotiations on the trade agreements of clauses on protecting workers and safeguards against child and slave labour. If the US government's negotiating brief had not been renewed, the Doha Round could have been definitively halted or at best its conclusions could have been put off for several years. (eh)