Latest WTO talks look positive

ALAN PEAT WHILE THE rather ill-fated “Doha” round of talks of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ground to a near-halt last year, the latest signs of a restart are more positive, according to trade consultants, Deloittes. Director-general Supachai Panitchpakdi, they told FTW, has indicated that the WTO member states are making progress, and the organisation hopes to reach an understanding by the end of July on a framework galvanising the Doha round. Almost immediately after these talks were launched in the Qatar capital in November 2001 - aimed at reducing global trade barriers - things started to fall apart when the emerging and developing countries accused First World states of distorting trade with their agricultural export subsidies. The “poor countries” maintained that these rich countries’ subsidies depressed prices and made it impossible for them to compete fairly on world markets. Things looked brighter earlier this year when two of the main “rich country” culprits - the European Union (EU) and the USA - went head-to-head on the subsidy issue. The EU was looking for a tit-for-tat deal - saying it was prepared to eliminate its agricultural export subsidies on condition that the US took similar steps to end its support for farmers. But, Deloittes told FTW, the progress being made during the current discussions in Doha is viewed in a positive light by the director-general of the WTO.