Brussels, 08/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - With European Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton and Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan as their representatives at the meeting in Brussels on 7 and 8 May for the 2nd session of high level dialogue on economy and trade, the EU and China pledged their commitment to closer cooperation to overcome the effects of the economic downturn. Europeans and Chinese confirm their commitment in line with the G20 summit conclusions not to give way to protectionism, to promote trade and investment and to conclude the Doha Round talks. Speaking at a press conference prior to a dinner on Friday for the 12 ministers of the Chinese delegation, 14 European commissioners and CEOs of some 15 multinational European companies, Mr Wang said: “We are agreed it is necessary to oppose protectionism, to maintain an open environment for trade and investment, and to work for the rapid conclusion of Doha talks at the WTO”. “Trade and investment will lead us out of the current crisis. The EU and China therefore stand together today in calling for the swift conclusion of the Doha Round, which will help us trade our way out of recession. The message that we are sending to our businesses and our citizens is that we are working together in these difficult times”, Ms Ashton put in. The trade commissioner gave her assurance that she had had “good discussions” on a whole series of sensitive issues such as intellectual property and customs cooperation, food safety, as well as climate change and energy issues, including the transition towards low-carbon economies, energy efficiency and energy performance norms. The question of trade opportunities for SMEs was also tackled. Two plenary sessions on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning allowed the parties to cover a broad range of economic and commercial questions, including the trade of goods and services, investment flows, customs cooperation, sustainable development, food safety and the trade in food, consumer protection and product safety, healthcare, the protection of intellectual property rights, geographical indications, the information society and transport. Opening the work on Thursday, Mr Wang had warned the EU against using protectionism to overcome the crisis, referring to antidumping measures recently adopted by the EU against exports of Chinese products buoyed up by unfair practices, such as government subsidies and the lack of social and environmental norms. “We should, on both sides and in no ambivalent terms, be fully opposed to protectionism”, he said. (E.H./transl.jl)