Press Release of the G-10 Informal Ministerial Meeting, Geneva
Bern, 20.07.2008 -
Ministers of the G-10 met in Geneva today ahead of the informal WTO Ministerial meeting that will start Monday 21 July in order to assess the state of play of the DDA negotiations, to exchange views on the revised Draft Modalities text and to reaffirm their priorities in agriculture.
G-10 Ministers reiterated their commitment to a successful conclusion of the Modalities, the first but most important step to conclude this Doha Round.
G-10 Ministers commended the Chair of the Agriculture negotiations for his constant and tireless efforts which have culminated in the revised text issued the 10th of July. G-10 Ministers acknowledged that progress has been made in agriculture. However, they regretted the fact that certain groups of WTO Members, G-10 in particular, are requested to bear an excessive and disproportionate burden in the agriculture modalities negotiations.
The Ministers reaffirmed that their priorities lie in opposing the introduction of tariff capping, achieving appropriate flexibilities in the number and treatment of sensitive products, as well as moderating the tariff cuts, particularly in the upper band. Given the fact that the G-10 Members will have to pay the highest price in these agricultural negotiations, an agreement can only be found by taking into account the main concerns of the G-10 and with a balanced outcome within the three pillars of the agriculture negotiations. They are also of the view that serious efforts have to be made by others as well in order to restore balance among different areas of the DDA negotiations under the principle of the single undertaking.
Ministers also reiterated their concern over the recent worsening of food crisis, increasingly threatening the food security of net-food importing Members, including G-10 Members. In this context, Ministers discussed the issue of export restrictions and endorsed the view that the disciplines on this area need to be strengthened.
G-10 Ministers renewed their determination to work constructively with all other WTO Members to establish balanced and mutually acceptable modalities for further agricultural reform, and expressed their readiness to meet their counterparts, bilaterally or plurilaterally, during the Ministerial Meeting. They urged all Members to undertake necessary efforts to help to bridge the gaps and to bring the round to a successful conclusion as soon as possible.
Publisher
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
http://www.wbf.admin.ch
