Food importers have 'nothing more to give' in WTO talks: Swiss minister
Food importers have ''nothing more to give'' in the Doha round of trade liberalization talks, Swiss Economy Minister Doris Leuthard told reporters on Monday.
Switzerland heads the Group of 10 countries and regions in the World Trade Organization whose economies are considered very sensitive to food imports. The G-10 economies, including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, are resisting efforts by food exporters to reduce and eventually eliminate farm import tariffs.
''We reiterate that we still support the Doha round'' but the G-10 will be defending its farmers' interests, she said, adding that ''negotiations can't only be about agriculture.'' Leuthard and 100 other trade and economy ministers are until Wednesday in Geneva to discuss the status of the WTO and current trade negotiations.
Among major objectives under the Doha Development Round, launched in 2001, are lowering tariffs and subsidies for agricultural products, improving market access for manufactured goods, and increasing trade in services.
But sharp disagreements between industrialized and developing countries and between agricultural exporters and importers have marred the negotiations since the beginning.
Earlier in the day, the Cairns Group of major agricultural exporters said in a statement that the outcome of the negotiations ''must include a major package of reforms to agricultural trade, which continues to be highly distorted.''
''Such a package must substantially increase market access opportunities, substantially reduce trade-distorting domestic support and eliminate export subsidies in 2013,'' the statement said.
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