Goff to join trade ministers to negotiate WTO deal
Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Trade
27 June 2006
Media Statement
Goff to join trade ministers to negotiate WTO deal
Trade Minister Phil Goff travels
to Geneva this week to join with other Trade Ministers to
try to progress the World Trade Organisation’s Doha
Development Round talks.
The aim of the Geneva ministerial meetings, scheduled to run from 29 June to 2 July, is to advance work on a deal on the structure of a new agreement on agriculture and industrial products.
"Movement on improving market access in these two areas and reducing domestic support for agriculture is crucial to clear the way for the rest of the Doha package to be finalised in July," Mr Goff said.
“Achieving that
outcome won’t be easy. Progress depends on whether key big
players – the European Union, the United States, Brazil and
India - are prepared to commit themselves to an ambitious
outcome, to make concessions and to find common ground.
"Despite the political will to conclude the round shown
at the recent trade ministers meetings at the OECD in Paris
and APEC in Ho Chi Min City, little progress has been made
since last years meeting in Hong Kong to resolve the main
differences between the key parties.
"This lack of progress places in jeopardy the ability to conclude the round by the end of this year.
While in Geneva, Mr Goff will also participate in discussions on the state of the Doha Round services negotiations.
“For big services
exporters, a good outcome on services is essential if they
are to agree to the outcome of the Doha Round as a whole.
And services are increasingly important to New Zealand too –
they now account for 28 percent of our total
exports.”
Around forty WTO Ministers will travel to
Geneva, including newly-confirmed US Trade Representative
Susan Schwab, European Union Trade Commissioner Peter
Mandelson, and their counterparts from Brazil, Japan, India
and Australia.
"If we are to secure a successful outcome to Doha, all WTO members must come to the negotiating table in Geneva prepared to show real flexibility.”
"Economic studies show a huge net benefit from concluding a high ambition round. Developing countries in particular will benefit from increased access to developed countries markets and the reduction in trade distorting subsidies and export incentives by the developed world.
"This will also clearly benefit New Zealand as an efficient exporting country.
“New Zealand will continue to be actively engaged across all aspects of the negotiations, because we are determined to do all we can to see the Round concluded successfully,” Mr Goff said.
ENDS