Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-11-18-Speech-4-158"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.19991118.7.4-158"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"The Millennium Round, which is due to start shortly within the World Trade Organisation, the WTO, must provide an opportunity for Europe, since we are bound by the condition of speaking with a single voice, not only to present itself as unified for the duration of the negotiations, but also to demonstrate the utmost firmness with regard to the outcome, particularly as regards agriculture and the cultural exception.
While, however, the Fifteen have recently adopted a joint negotiation policy in the context of the new round, which promises to be an ambitious one, it must be acknowledged that this basis which looks like the lowest common denominator shared by the Member States, will of necessity suffer a decline in the course of the negotiations.
Indeed, there is no doubt but that this compromise text, whose birth was so painful, will be subject to many pressures from the American side in the negotiations, even though the homogeneity of the Union is only a façade, and the Union has no legal arsenal available to it comparable with that in the hands of the United States, one that is likely, if necessary, to deter the American side.
While the organisation of free and fairer world trade must be encouraged and reinforced within the framework of a multilateral commercial system, it must also ensure that all nations, rich and poor, and I am thinking in particular of the countries of Africa, are guaranteed the possibility of making the most of the advantages which this round of negotiations is supposed to be bringing.
Indeed, although we must wait for the round of negotiations to be completed before passing judgement on the content as far as the results achieved are concerned, the fact remains that, as far as this context is concerned, the overall result could not be deemed completely negative if the nations of Europe were to manage to obtain stricter control of the international regulations regarding competition. The establishment of universally recognised common minimum standards intended to oppose any action to restrict competition would already represent significant progress.
The European Union’s starting negotiating position, which is ambitious in its objectives, is bound not to emerge stronger from a round of negotiations which is in danger of dragging on and on and getting bogged down, particularly given the foreseeable attitude of the United States, which will not rest from attempting to progressively undermine the mandate which has been given to Mr Lamy and which merely constitutes a unified façade that does not successfully conceal the differences in the interests of the Fifteen. Furthermore, the content of the final resolution adopted by the European Parliament today includes many points that are not acceptable to France."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples