EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Session document
30.9.2008 B6‑0521/2008
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
to wind up the debate on the statement by the Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Cristiana Muscardini, Eugenijus Maldeikis, Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis, Jan Tadeusz Masiel, Seán Ó Neachtain and Ryszard Czarnecki
on behalf of the UEN Group
on the future of the WTO Doha Development Agenda
European Parliament resolution on the future of the WTO Doha Development Agenda
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Doha Ministerial Declaration of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of 14 November 2001,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA),
– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the WTO ministerial talks intended to close the Doha Round were stalled at the end of July 2008,
B. whereas some progress was achieved in bringing the WTO members close to finalising the Agreement,
C. whereas the interests of the developing countries, and in particular of the least developed countries, as well as the commitment of all WTO members to the 'development round', should be kept at the heart of the negotiations,
D. whereas failure to close a deal might seriously undermine the credibility of the multilateral trading system and in turn of the WTO itself,
E. whereas concluding the DDA becomes more critical by the day as the economic and financial outlook continues to deteriorate,
1. Is seriously disappointed and concerned at the stalemate that occurred at the WTO ministerial meetings last July;
2. Reiterates its full commitment to the multilateral approach to trade policy and to a WTO able to guarantee a balanced outcome for international trade on a basis of full respect for the Millennium Development Goals;
3. Is convinced that, in the current context characterised by economic and financial crisis, a successful conclusion of the Doha round could be a stabilising factor; remains firmly committed to the DDA, since the global challenges relating to food security, energy and climate change need urgently to be tackled by the WTO once this round is closed;
4. Is fully aware of the difficulties of a Single Undertaking; welcomes the progress made during the negotiations so far, which should provide an important and consolidated basis at the next meeting for pursuing the Doha Round and achieving a successful outcome;
5. Calls on the EU and the US, as well as on the G20 as new major economic players, to assume their responsibilities in the current negotiations, to respect fully the spirit of the 'development round', and to make all efforts to reach a deal by the end of this year, so that the DDA can still be concluded in 2009; emphasises once more the importance of a differentiation between developing and emerging countries;
6. Calls on India and the US to find without delay a political solution on the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM), in order to ensure a fair balance between trade and development concerns which will enable other agricultural issues to be discussed and resolved, such as expansion of tariff quotas, tariff simplification and cotton subsidies, as well as issues related to NAMAs and services;
7. Believes that the difficulties of the DDA highlight the need, once the round is over, to address urgently the question of reform of the WTO in order to make it more effective and transparent and improve its democratic legitimacy and integration into the wider architecture of global governance; reiterates the need for targeted technical assistance and capacity-building to help developing countries engage effectively in the DDA;
8. Calls on the Commission and Council to establish an agreement in order to ensure full participation of Parliament in the EU's international trade negotiations;
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Governments and the Parliaments of the Member States, and the Director-General of the WTO.