Brazil Debates Tariff Policy with Europe and the US

On Friday, October 28, Brazil participated in a teleconference with the government of the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) to debate global tariff policy, particularly for agricultural imports.

The Brazilian minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, said in a press conference that the US proposes a 65% average reduction in current tariff levels, while the EU favors an average cut of 39%.

"We eagerly await the European Union to present its contribution on market access by the end of the week, with proposals for an effective market opening for fresh and processed agricultural products from developing countries," he added.

Brazil’s negotiations are aimed at concluding arrangements to present in Hong Kong at the meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December.

During the press conference, Amorim read a message sent by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on October 25 to the leaders of four European countries (France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal) and the head of the European Commission, Durão Barroso, asking them to back significant reductions in tariffs and non-tariff barriers.

In the message, Lula emphasizes the need for the understandings to reach a satisfactory conclusion, since the negotiations are at a "critical juncture." And he expresses concern over "the prospect of a possible stall in the negotiations on agriculture at the meeting in Hong Kong."

The EU is the world’s largest importer of agricultural products, and "its position in the negotiations will set a standard for the contributions that other countries will be willing to make on this matter," the message goes on to say.

The President emphasizes, moreover, that the position taken by the EU will encourage other partners, "especially the United States, to make additional moves that we consider indispensable as far as domestic subsidies are concerned."

Agência Brasil

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado

Brazilian Salgado Aboard Antarctica Ship

In a United Nations-backed project, a two-masted ship will set sail this month from ...

121 Years After Abolition Brazil Is Still a Slave-ocratic Country

At a ceremony held at the Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL), Marcos Vinicios Vilaça ...

Bet on Weak Dollar Brings Brazil Firms Billion-Dollar Losses

The Brazilian central bank left the basic Selic interest rate unchanged for the first ...

Brazil’s Supermodel Makes New Zealand Mag Shine

Brazilian supermodel Cinthia Moura, graces the ‘Gold Fever’ cover of Lucire out Monday, March ...

Brazilians Go on Shopping Spree Overseas Spending US$ 2 Billion in 2 Months

While traveling around the world in January and February  Brazilian tourists spent close to ...

Brazilian Presidential Candidate Serra: a Life of Opposition and Solid Education

Brazilian presidential candidate José Serra was born into a working-class family of Italian immigrants ...

Stones Roll Their Biggest Show Ever in Rio, Brazil

Just a week before Carnaval, the Rolling Stones drew an estimated one and a ...

Brazil Announces Cut of Red Tape and Global Investors Get Bullish

Latin American markets were mostly higher, thanks to upbeat earnings reports in Brazil, optimism ...

Brazilians and Arabs Just Need a Few Adjustments, Says Minister

“Without knowing each another, we will be incapable of intensifying bi-regional cooperation,” said Brazil’s ...

Mali Edition of World Social Forum to Draw Brazil and Africa Closer

The African edition of the World Social Forum got underway Thursday, January 19, in ...