Brussels, 29/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - In an interview with France 24 diffused on Friday, Peter Mandelson considered that an agreement on liberalisation of global trade is “still possible” by the end of the year, but said “the window of opportunity for a deal was very small”. He felt it was their duty towards the rest of the world to use this opportunity. “If we do not find a realistic breakthrough between now and the summer, or just after the summer, frankly all the attention in the United States will turn towards the presidential elections”, he said. In addition to the complications linked to the political machine for United States negotiation, talks could be placed on hold until at least 2009, he said.
Expiry of TPA. On Saturday 30 June, the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) or “fast track negotiating authority” for trade deals expires. This is the authority of the US president to negotiate agreements that the two Houses can approve or disapprove but cannot amend. Fast-track negotiating authority is granted to the president by Congress. Despite the renewed calls this week by American negotiator Susan Schwab, renewal of this power that the Bush administration had already obtained in 2005 for three years to make Doha trade talks move forward, remains uncertain at this stage before the reticence of a Congress that is now Democrat-dominated.
Mercosur support for Brazilian position. The head of the Brazilian diplomacy, Celso Amorim, boasted on Friday of the support provided by Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela) for the fiercely defended position of the G-20 leaders, Brazil and India, in the Doha talks. “All reacted very positively, in fact I would say almost unanimously to Brazil's position”, said Mr Amorim after a meeting for preparing the Mercosur summit in Asunción. The Brazilian negotiator also welcomed the support given by the Mercosur parliament to the position that he defended during the G-4 meeting last week in Potsdam (EUROPE 9451-9453). These declarations come at a time when the 8 developing countries belonging to the G-20 - with Chile and Mexico at the fore - have tabled a new compromise whereby they agree to concede a very strong reduction in their customs duties on manufactured goods, or NAMA (see EUROPE 9456). (eh)