EU and US discuss bilateral trade, Doha trade talks
Brussels, 21 January 2008
 EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and US Trade Representative Susan Schwab have met in Brussels to discuss a wide range of bilateral trade issues as well as progress in the WTO Doha trade talks. The two sides also discussed relations with major emerging economies, as well as the contribution of trade policy to mitigation of climate change.
Speaking to journalists after their meeting, Mandelson highlighted a number of issues on the bilateral agenda. Regarding the classification of goods under the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), he noted that the EU is prepared to review the product scope of the agreement in order to include new IT products, within the mechanisms foreseen in the ITA itself. On the issue over US imports of poultry into the EU, he pledged that the EU was taking the issue very seriously and hoped to resolve it as soon as possible. Mandelson also noted on US subsidies for biodiesel producers that the European biodiesel industry had raised the issue with the European Commission. He added that the Commission would investigate and take action on any sufficiently substantiated complaint.
On moving forward in multilateral trade talks, Mandelson said: "USTR Schwab and I agreed that both sides are committed to fully concluding the Doha Round by the end of this year. Both sides agree that this means moving rapidly towards an agreement on modalities by the very early spring. We believe that a modalities package should put equal emphasis on progress in agriculture, goods and services. We also believe that revised chairs' texts must enable process to move to its next stage, and not erode the level of ambition of a possible deal".
The two sides also agreed that the EU and US needed to continue to work on relations with major emerging markets, including the shared view that Russia should join the WTO. On this issue Mandelson noted: "Both US and EU are interested in seeing Russia in the WTO, have given a great deal of assistance to Russia to bring this forward and want to maintain that cooperation between us. There are a number of substantive issues that need to be addressed and we will be doing so with the Russian authorities". On trade relations with China, Mandelson recalled that both the US and the EU have strong records of cooperation and dialogue with China, and that this commitment should be maintained as the best way to resolve issues, even though other action could not be excluded if necessary.
Asked about climate change and the question of possible trade measures, both Mandelson and Schwab voiced concerns about protectionist tendencies. Mandelson noted: "Clearly trade restrictions are not the way forward - they not cost-efficient, there is risk of retaliation, and increasing costs for European industry at large". He added that international negotiation was the right way forward to combat climate change.
European Union Trade
ec.europa.eu/comm/trade |
European Union Trade