Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-12-11-Speech-2-251"
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"en.20011211.11.2-251"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, I want to speak on an issue which Parliament identified before Qatar as vital, indeed we called it 'make or break' as did the Commissioner – that is the link between environment and trade.
In Qatar, we saw a breakthrough. For the first time, and against fierce and widespread opposition, we will have negotiations on some key environmental issues. Of course, much more remains to be done, but a process has been started and a taboo broken. The key to further progress must be to demonstrate, above all, to developing countries that their fears of green protectionism on our side are groundless.
Qatar, frankly, did not produce the progress that we in the PSE Group wanted, and asked for beforehand on labour rights, on democracy and transparency in WTO decision-making. But it did leave the way open to progress on both. We know there was intense pressure from many countries, including developing countries, for a declaration that labour rights were a matter for the ILO alone. That pressure was resisted quite rightly and the principle of WTO cooperation with the ILO restated. The EU must now push hard to translate this principle into practice, seizing the opportunity given by the ILO's launch of a commission on the social aspects of globalisation in which the WTO and other international organisations will be participating.
The ministerial meeting also agreed to negotiations on reform of the dispute settlement procedure with an open agenda covering whatever proposals WTO members choose to table. The EU must take this opportunity for openness and transparency.
Commissioner, we would really like to know what your ideas are for reform and we shall not be slow in letting you know what our ideas are either.
We would like to put on record today our recognition of the key role played by you, Commissioner Lamy, in the success of the meeting. You had a very difficult role and you displayed skill and tenacity. I emphasise, in particular, your insistence that you need the political support of this House in order to pursue the round in the way it was launched. We shall be marking our support in a resolution to be voted tomorrow.
Many people went to Qatar hoping for a fiasco, hoping for a re-run of Seattle, hoping for something to denounce, in a mood of populism. They are disappointed in that hope and they need to be honest with themselves and to respect the views of developing countries not to indulge in paternalism as some of our colleagues have unfortunately done.
The Qatar Declaration contains almost everything that developing countries wanted on the agenda. The agenda is not the outcome and we will need to be vigilant for a good result, but when developing.
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