Signs of progress at Seattle trade talks despite protests

Date: 02/12/1999

By Simon Taylor

TALKS on a new round of global trade negotiations got under way in Seattle this week despite massive protests by groups opposed to the World Trade Organisation.

Initially peaceful demonstrations by more than 100,000 anti-free-trade activists descended into violence as police fought pitched battles with a small core of demonstrators, delaying the start of the meeting and forcing the mayor of Seattle to declare a state of emergency. Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said the protests illustrated the need for broad-based talks, as called for by the EU. "We must reply to these questions by adding to the subjects for the WTO negotiations issues such as environment, food safety and labour standards," he insisted.

Despite the demonstrations, ministers were able to make some progress on agreeing a common agenda for the next round in the early stages of the talks, with signs that they were moving closer to an agreement on agriculture.

But Lamy came under fierce attack from some EU governments for supporting US demands for a working group to be set up to discuss biotechnology issues. The move, widely seen as an attempt by the Commission to outflank an alliance between the US and liberal trade nations on farming, sparked angry protests from both member states and environmental campaigners. US President Bill Clinton also angered developing countries by suggesting that sanctions could eventually be used to enforce 'core' labour standards.

Although negotiators expressed confidence that agreement on the agenda for the round could be reached, a deal was not expected until the meeting ends tomorrow (3 December), with key trade-offs being made at the 11th hour.