EU Trade Commissioner Bends
In Brussels on 4 December and in an opinion piece appearing in the 5 December Financial Times, EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said the time had come for the EU to consider reformulating its position, if a new round of trade negotiations is to be launched.
He said failure in Seattle was due to three main factors: LDC's perception that their interests were not properly taken into account; lack of responsiveness to civil society concerns in industrialised countries; and shortcomings in the WTO itself.
Though there is an element of hope in Mr. Lamy's remarks, upon examination he has not actually committed the EC to press for a reformulation of the EU position. During the Brussels press
conference, for example, he said that reformulation could be simply a matter of clarifying the EU position rather than removing elements from it.
We must now go further still in the direction of developing countries, because it is clear that they are yet to be convinced about a Round. Whilst maintaining our overall convictions on the
rationale for a Round - more market access and better rules - the moment has arrived to consider reformulating our policy. We will of course consult both inside and outside the EU on this. Depending
on the response, the Commission, will, as its role requires, make the necessary proposals.
Secondly, we must address the evident concerns of civil society and public opinion that the current system of governance, including trade policy matters handled in the WTO, lacks transparency
and legitimacy. I said in Seattle that the WTO was almost medieval in its organisation, so unsurprisingly, I think they also have a point.
EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, Personal View, Financial Times, 5 December 2000
He emphasised that the EU is still committed to launching a new round to improve market access and enhance the organisation and rules of the WTO. If adjustments in the EU's position are to be
based on consultations within and outside the EU, the EC is many months away from proposing "appropriate initiatives."
The EC has solidified its contacts with European civil society via regular working groups and consultations. It wants the European Parliament more closely involved in the process of developing
trade policy, and the recent Nice Declaration suggests this is now close to fruition. On reform of the WTO, Lamy said the EC was preparing ideas to be submitted, and that in the meantime, it was
encouraging regional co-operation among groups of WTO member countries.
Profile
Services
Search
Trade Analysis
Updates
Contacts
Trade News
Policy Street
Link To Us
Site Search
| 