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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Latest world trade talks collapse | Latest world trade talks collapse |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The latest negotiations to try to secure a new global trade deal have collapsed without agreement. | The latest negotiations to try to secure a new global trade deal have collapsed without agreement. |
| Trade leaders from the European Union, US, India and Brazil had been meeting in Germany to find a breakthrough on the long-delayed Doha round of talks. | Trade leaders from the European Union, US, India and Brazil had been meeting in Germany to find a breakthrough on the long-delayed Doha round of talks. |
| Brazil and India blamed the latest failure on the EU and US not offering enough concessions on agriculture. | Brazil and India blamed the latest failure on the EU and US not offering enough concessions on agriculture. |
| The EU and US countered that Brazil and India were not opening up their markets to Western manufactured goods. | The EU and US countered that Brazil and India were not opening up their markets to Western manufactured goods. |
| 'Useless' | 'Useless' |
| Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said the Brazilian and Indian delegations had walked away from the negotiations in the eastern German city of Potsdam, because they had proved to be "useless". | Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said the Brazilian and Indian delegations had walked away from the negotiations in the eastern German city of Potsdam, because they had proved to be "useless". |
| This week's negotiations could not generate political consensus to meaningfully open markets to new trade - particularly in manufactured goods Susan Schwab, US Trade Representative | |
| India's Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath added that "there will have to be a substantial attitude change" from the EU and US. | India's Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath added that "there will have to be a substantial attitude change" from the EU and US. |
| White House spokesman Tony Fratto said: "The president is disappointed that certain countries are blocking an opportunity to expand trade." | |
| US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said: "To meet the Doha Round's promise, developed and advanced developing economies need to open their domestic markets for agricultural goods, industrial products, and services." | |
| "Unfortunately, this week's negotiations could not generate political consensus to meaningfully open markets to new trade - particularly in manufactured goods." | "Unfortunately, this week's negotiations could not generate political consensus to meaningfully open markets to new trade - particularly in manufactured goods." |
| EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson echoed this argument, saying that "while in Europe we are prepared to pay a lot, we cannot do it on less to nothing in return". | EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson echoed this argument, saying that "while in Europe we are prepared to pay a lot, we cannot do it on less to nothing in return". |
| Commercial interests | |
| The collapse of these secretive trade talks is a good opportunity to develop an alternative approach to trade Joe Zacune, Friends of the Earth, trade campaigner | |
| Environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth greeted the collapsed talks as good news. | |
| Trade campaigner Joe Zacune said: "The collapse of these secretive trade talks is a good opportunity to develop an alternative approach to trade that works for developing countries and the environment." | |
| He said the proposals had been driven mainly by the EU and the US putting "commercial interests of their corporations before the needs of poor communities and their natural resources". | |
| Following the collapse, the EU said it had been prepared to cut its average farm tariffs by more than half. | |
| "It took decades to obtain the same result in industry. We were prepared to eliminate export subsidies by 2013 and cut trade distorting domestic farm subsidies by more 70%." | |
| Prolonged negotiations | |
| The Doha Round of talks - named after the Qatari capital where discussions started in 2001 - have been repeatedly delayed because of continuing disagreements. | The Doha Round of talks - named after the Qatari capital where discussions started in 2001 - have been repeatedly delayed because of continuing disagreements. |
| A key meeting in Hong Kong in December 2005 that was due to have established the final agreement ended in failure, and negotiations have drifted since then, despite a series of follow-up talks. | A key meeting in Hong Kong in December 2005 that was due to have established the final agreement ended in failure, and negotiations have drifted since then, despite a series of follow-up talks. |
| World Trade Organization boss Pascal Lamy recently warned that without a breakthrough very soon, the Doha Round could be put on hold for several years. | World Trade Organization boss Pascal Lamy recently warned that without a breakthrough very soon, the Doha Round could be put on hold for several years. |
| In the US, the President will lose the authority to negotiate a trade deal without Congress's ability to offer amendments on 1 July, making it more difficult to agree any future deal. |