EU leaders, meeting at a summit in the UK, announced that a revised set of negotiating proposals will be presented on Friday: EU confirms to make new WTO offer on farm trade tomorrow (AFX News, Oct 27, via Forbes).
The EU spokeswoman said that the proposals would
...be on agriculture and will be in line with the commission's negotiating mandate.
The official said Chirac told fellow EU leaders that although France will stick to the EU position, Paris 'will not accept any calling into question' of the EU's Common Agriculture Policy.
Several headlines put a decidely downbeat headline on the same story. For example: Chirac Balks at EU Farm Cuts, Threatens World Trade Talks (Bloomberg.com, Oct 27)
The EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso indicated
...that the offer will cover not only agriculture but also the service sector. He said the offer was being made on condition that other trade partners would match it, but declined to go into specific details.
"It will be a new offer, but with strong conditionality. The others should move as well," said Barroso...
European Commission to make new offer (Ed Johnson, Associated Press, Oct 27, via Seattle PI)
George Parker, James Blitz, Wolfgang Munchau, and Raphael Minder that : Chirac will block Doha before cuts in farm aid (Financial Times, Oct 27):
Mr Mandelson outlined his latest proposals in a “difficult and frank” discussion with Dominique de Villepin, French prime minister, on Wednesday, EU officials said. “Voices were not raised,” one added...
Referring to his commitment to defend the 2003 reform package, Mr Chirac said: “It is out of the question for us to make another step.” Mr Mandelson has insisted he will not go beyond that remit but his interpretation of the deal is challenged in Paris...
Mr Mandelson's offer is expected to include a more generous cut in agricultural tariffs of about 40 per cent rather than the 25 per cent tabled by the EU earlier this month but also set out more clearly the concessions that the EU wants in return from its main trading partners in services and industrial tariffs.
The ICTSD weekly newsletter Bridges summarizes the dramatic events of the last week: FIPS Ministers' Meet Ends Abruptly; EU To Make New Offer On Market Access? (Oct 26). Not so dramatically, other groups kept meeting and talking: Market Access Flexibilities Up For Discussion In WTO Farm Talks (Bridges, Oct 26)
The Third World Network likewise provides coverage: "Blame game" follows failure of FIPs Ministers' meeting (Martin Khor, Oct 20)
Revised 11.42 PM ALT 27oct
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