Fed: EU, Japan continue to block ag trade reform
By Shane Wright
CANBERRA, Dec 20 AAP - Europe and Japan stand in the way of major reform to world agriculturalprotection, according to a report today on the state of global trade talks.
The report, by the World Trade Organisation's Stuart Harbinson, found a gulf betweenthose countries such as Australia demanding huge cuts in protection and those still hopingto maintain high tariffs and subsidies.
Agriculture Minister Warren Truss said Mr Harbinson's report showed the uphill battlefacing Australia and other countries to win major agricultural trade reform.
The report, the latest step in the Doha round of world trade talks, presents a generaloverview of the various positions of countries on agricultural protection.
It is also the final report before the setting of targets for cuts in tariffs and subsidiesand increases in quotas.
Europe submitted its proposals at the start of the week, just in time for them to beincluded in Mr Harbinson's report.
While not making any judgment on the proposals, Mr Harbinson warned there was a stilla wide gulf between those wanting reform and those uneasy with the pace of change.
"There are still wide gaps in the positions among participants regarding fundamentalaspects of the further reform program," he said.
One of the biggest differences is in the extent of cuts in protection.
Some countries, including Australia and the United States, have set clear targets thatwould effectively wipe out agricultural protection.
Mr Harbinson said those opposed to such clear targets, such as the European Union,had failed to put up their own proposals.
"This has made it difficult to move the process forward," he said.
Mr Harbinson's report contained few areas of agreement, with substantial differencesbetween nations over the use of geographic indicators as a form of protection, the labellingof goods, and quarantine measures used to keep out potential agricultural imports.
There was general support to exempt the world's 49 least developed countries from commitmentsto cuts in protection.
Mr Truss said there appeared to be little commitment to agricultural reform from eitherthe EU or Japan.
"This is very disappointing, given the way in which the Europeans claim to help developingcountries, notwithstanding its highly distorting agricultural regime," he said in a statement.
"Japan's approach to the negotiations is similarly disappointing."
Mr Truss said the EU's own proposals to the EU would do almost nothing to further agriculturaltrade reform.
He said Australia would not back the Doha round unless there were cuts in agriculturalprotection.
"The bottom line is, there will be no outcome to the Doha round unless there is anacceptable outcome for agriculture," he said.
AAP sw/was/de
KEYWORD: TRADE NIGHTLEAD
No comments:
Post a Comment