Brazil Sees WTO Trade Agreement a Long Way Ahead

Brazil’s principal trade negotiator Tuesday presented a pessimistic assessment of the prospects for completing the Doha Development Round of trade liberalization negotiations by the December deadline. The global trade talks started several years ago in Doha, Qatar.

Luiz Felipe de Seixas Correa, Brazil’s representative to the World Trade Organization, says reaching a new trade agreement will be a challenge. Speaking at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Mr. Correa said the global trade talks come amid the WTO’s maneuvering to choose its next secretary general.


He said facing the negotiators is the task of drawing up separate proposals for agreements on trade in agricultural goods, services and industrial products.


The proposals, analysts say, must be completed by mid-year if the WTO wants to meet its December deadline for reaching final agreements.


Mr. Correa himself is a candidate for the WTO top post. His country, Brazil, is a leading advocate for rolling back agricultural subsidies and making the organization more responsive to the needs of developing countries.


He said if he is chosen to lead the WTO he will place development at the center of the trade negotiations.


“When I refer to this I’m really referring specifically to the need to create conditions for the least developed countries to participate in the process on a fairer basis,” Mr. Correa said.


Mr. Correa, a career diplomat, says procedures and agreements for completing the Doha round negotiations expire over the next 12 months and extending that would be difficult.


He said much work remains to be done in all critical areas, including agriculture, services, market access and industrial products. But he said that a deal can be reached.


VOA

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil Expecting 3,000 Importers from 100 Countries at Francal Shoe Fair

Brazil’s International Trade Fair of Shoes, Fashion Accessories, Machinery and Components (Francal) president, Abdala Jamil ...

Brazilian Premium Coffee Gets a Home in California

Limoneira Company, a 112 year-old Santa Paula land, farming and food company, is bringing ...

Brazil Creates World’s Third Largest Bourse, the US$ 20 Billion BM&F Bovespa

Cade (Administrative Council for Economic Defense), the Brazilian antitrust authority, approved the merger between ...

After All-Time High, Brazilian Market Tumbles

Brazilian and Latin American bourses fell on profit taking this Friday. In the U.S., ...

Mercosur Intent on Eradicating Foot and Mouth Disease

The Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply, Roberto Rodrigues, emphasized the mutual effort ...

Brazilian Congress Pans President Lula’s New Budget Guidelines

The 2007 Budget Guidelines Law (Lei de Diretrizes Orçamentárias, LDO) submitted, Tuesday, April 18, ...

Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits dengue

A Nasty Season of Dengue in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay

In southern Brazil an estimated 45.000 cases of dengue have been announced. Argentina, on ...

Who Is Brazil Catering to in Approving Bayer’s New Controversial Rice?

It is possible that Brazil may win a sad new title in 2010: the ...

Brazilian prostitute

Memories of My Good Friend, a Brazilian Whore

I had not thought to publicize my stroll through the world of prostitution until ...

Laughing Stock

"Now we find out that all the recent American elections, done with the same ...