Press Release: EU- WTO: European Commission proposes to put Doha Round of trade talks back on track

Following the failure of the 5th WTO Ministerial meeting in Cancun in September 2003 and after two months of intense consultations with EU Member States, the European Parliament and all European stakeholders (business, trade unions and civil society), the European Commission adopted a strategy paper on 26 November 2003 aimed at contributing to the re-launch of the Doha talks. The input received leads the Commission to conclude that the fundamental objectives of the EU in this negotiation remain valid: a clear preference for a multilateral trade system, a strong rules-making component alongside market access and the need to ensure that the negotiations do deliver a development round. But to take into account what has happened in Cancun and since, the paper recommends a revised strategy to achieve EU objectives, in the form of a refreshed and updated negotiating position in several areas. This paper will now be discussed with EU Member States and the European Parliament.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/trade/index_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/trade/index_en.htm

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/agriculture/external/wto/index_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/agriculture/external/wto/index_en.htm

---