Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-12-14-Speech-1-129"
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"en.20091214.16.1-129"2
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"Mr President, I would like to refer to what one of the honourable Members said – that the European Union should be the honest broker in these negotiations. I do not disagree but I do not want the European Union to be the only banker in this round.
There is a broad recognition that the European Union has played a crucial role in keeping the train on track. The reason for this is that in previous rounds, we have been very vulnerable because of our agricultural sector, and this has not been the case in these negotiations. We have put a strong offer on the table and this has meant that we are now in a very favourable situation.
But I have to say as well – not only here, but I have said it elsewhere, including in the negotiations in Geneva – that the European Union is not going to give any further concessions in agriculture. We have stretched to the ultimate limit of what we can do and this actually has been recognised.
The Doha Development Round was certainly meant to be a development round. I think that the negotiating text on the table today shows that, if we conclude this round, it would indeed deliver on development. For instance, the market-opening obligations for developing countries will not be the same as for the developed countries, and the poorest countries – the least-developed countries – will not have to open their markets at all. The European Union has supported this flexible approach.
Today, the European Union is the only industrialised bloc that has completely opened its markets for the least developed countries with duty-free, quota-free access in all areas. No other industrialised countries have done as much as we have, but these blocs will be forced to do the same as we have if we can conclude this round.
Regarding whether the agreement is good enough; I think that being able to get consensus between more than 150 different countries with totally different approaches probably will mean that you would never get the best of all worlds. But I think that the offers on the table from the European Union are strong and will certainly result in benefits to global trade.
Finally, can I just reiterate the willingness and openness of the Commission regarding the new role that Parliament will play in the future on cooperation and transparency within the discussions that we will certainly be having on trade issues for the future."@en1
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