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Dept for International Development

Answer

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of Doha trade negotiations with respect to the 31 March deadline; and if she will make a statement. [107545] Clare Short: The Government are disappointed that the 31 March deadline to establish modalities for a new Agreement on Agriculture was not achieved. Agricultural trade reform is critical for developing countries and central to the wider Doha Development Agenda. WTO members must now redouble their efforts to reach consensus by the fifth meeting of the WTO Ministerial Conference in September this year and the UK will continue to play an active part in seeking to bring this about. Regarding the 31 March deadline for WTO members to make initial market access offers under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), we welcome the tabling so far of offers by 13 WTO members, including some developing countries, and encourage other members to follow suit. As to the EU's initial offer, the Government have been working hard within the EU to agree an offer that will be meaningful for both developed and developing countries. Although the offer has not yet been finalised, it is well advanced and we expect it to be presented to the WTO very shortly.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

107545; 403 c300W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Agriculture Developing countries EU external trade Trade Trade agreements World Trade Organization General Agreement on Trade in Services

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk