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Trade ministers fear Doha trade round doomed

Saturday, September 10, 2011

by SUSAN MANN

The current round of world trade talks are in danger of failing to reach an agreement, says Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson.

The Doha Round, going on for 10 years, are the longest set of negotiations since the World Trade Organization, formerly known as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, was established in 1947, Emerson told a press conference Friday in Saskatoon at the conclusion of the 36th Cairns Group ministerial meeting. Emerson co-chaired the three-day meeting along with Canada’s Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.

The Cairns Group is disappointed an agreement hasn’t been reached yet. “Our farmers work hard and do their very best but are thwarted on international markets in terms of access and even where there is access having to pay penalties of high tariffs,” he says, noting no other round of world trade talks has ever failed.

The Cairns Group, a coalition of 19 agricultural exporting countries with a commitment to strengthening trade in farm products, sees it as its responsibility to ensure the Doha Round doesn’t fail.

Emerson says if the Cairns Group gets its way, the negotiations would be resolved by discussions being held from now until the WTO ministerial meeting that occurs in December. “We don’t need to bring the round to a conclusion this year, nor do we need to be mired in process.”

He says what needs to be done is to simplify the talks. “The Doha Round has become a very large and complex negotiation where everything depends on everything else. People won’t move unless someone else moves.”

Countries won’t move on agricultural proposals unless they get something manufacturing, while others won’t advance recommendations on manufacturing unless they get something on fish subsidies, Emerson says.

Ritz says “there’s no question advocating for trade based on rules and sound science will ensure a stronger economy here at home and around the world.”

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association participated in the farm leaders meetings held in conjunction with the ministerial meetings. In a press release issued Friday the association says beef farmers have seen the resistance of countries to abide by internationally agreed science standards pose a barrier to trade.

Emerson says the Cairns Group wants to see improved market access, a very serious reduction in farm subsidies and the elimination of export subsidies.

Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Ron Bonnett agrees with Emerson that the Doha talks are in danger. “I think it’s going to take a really strong effort to see if they can move ahead. One of the things that was suggested is really taking a look at if they’re using the right process to get an agreement in place.”

Bonnett, who attended the farm leaders meeting, says the federation couldn’t sign the communiqué from the leaders meeting mainly because it didn’t have the balanced Canadian position. “It was very much specifically dealing with the export side. We strongly believe we have to expand export markets but we want some of the things that are working well, like supply management, to remain.”

Asked for his thoughts on Canada’s position on supply management, Emerson says he’s a guest of Canada. “When I come to Canada I don’t seek to do anything other than support Canada’s aspirations being a successful exporter on the global markets.”

The Canadian government announced plans to end the single desk marketing system for trade in wheat, durum and barley, but supply managed dairy leaders aren’t worried.

Dairy Farmers of Canada president Wally Smith, who was at the farm leaders meetings, says they’ve had strong and consistent communications from the government that its position to support supply management is unwavering. “We have full confidence in the minister. He has a proven track record of doing what he says he’s going to do.” BF
  



 

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