Brussels, 03/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - In the run-up to a last chance ministerial WTO meeting for Doha talks, probably in May, French President Nicolas Sarkozy considers in a letter addressed to the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, on 1 April, that, as far as the EU is concerned, “the conditions for a balanced agreement have not yet been met”. “France considers substance should take primacy over timetable which, in any case, should not be dictated by political deadlines in the United States”, Mr Sarkozy stressed. “The imbalance of mutual concessions to the detriment of the EU is very worrying, not only for the agricultural and industrial pillars under discussion but also for the general economy under negotiation, with several subjects that are of prime importance for the EU not even coming within the negotiating perimeter”, he continued, citing services, geographical indications and rules. Deploring the fact that the agricultural text has been worsened [Ed: revised WTO compromise project, EUROPE 9600] to the detriment of EU interests, the French head of state warned that “several European agricultural channels would be endangered if provisions (of the text: Ed) were applied with regard to Community market access”. Sarkozy notes the “recent negotiating setback on non-agricultural market access (NAMA)” for European companies. “The lack of effort on the part of the large emergent countries is without common measure with the benefits that they have enjoyed over recent years with the opening of international trade”, he continues, going on to add: “The EU's partners have made no concessions in the chapters that are strategic for the EU, such as services or the protection of geographical indications, the latter not even being covered in the texts under discussion”. Mr Sarkozy therefore calls on the Commission “for greater vigilance” and urges it to “work to restore a balance in the talks and to achieve true reciprocity of market access commitments”.
Speaking at the Fédération française des exploitants agricoles (FNSEA) in Nantes the same day, Sarkozy said that WTO talks were to “begin again on a sound base with clearer objectives”. “I shall be firmly opposed to any agreement that does not serve the interests of our country. After over seven years of discussion, the flagrant imbalance of talks must lead us to more in-depth reflection at EU level, but no doubt also at the WTO, on the future of the Round, as it is difficult to continue as if nothing has happened”, he stressed, before going on to conclude: “In these international negotiations, I want reciprocity, I want balance”. (E.H.)