Posted on 12-11-2002
Free
Trade Dominates Environment
Reuters, Monday, 11 November, 2002
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick this week warned the
European
Union that its desire to link international environmental agreements
to the
rules for free trade threatened progress in world trade negotiations.
"If
Europe keeps pushing things in the environmental area that look
threatening
to the developing world we're not going to be able to move forward
on this
thing," Zoellick told the Council on Foreign Relations.
His comments came during a joint question-and-answer session
with EU Trade
Commissioner Pascal Lamy. Lamy told the foreign policy audience
that the EU
was pushing for language to clarify how multilateral environmental
agreements interact with World Trade Organization rules. "We
Europeans feel
these two things should be on the same footing," Lamy said.
"If it were
only a European view I would say environment should trump trade
rules, but
since we live on the same planet I would say they have to be
on the same
footing."
Developing countries are generally wary of any attempt by rich
countries to
insert environmental issues into trade agreements. They fear
the measures
could be used by the developed countries as an excuse to block
their products.
Despite Zoellick's concern about the EU position, the Bush administration
also faces some pressure at home to include both labor and environmental
concerns in trade agreements. Meanwhile, Zoellick said the United
States
would present "an aggressive proposal" later this year for reducing
trade
barriers for non-agricultural goods. Many developing countries
that want
increased access to the U.S. textile market are keenly waiting
to see what
the United States will propose in that area.
WTO members launched a new round of world trade talks a year
ago this month
in Doha, Qatar, with the goal of finishing by January 2005.
After their
remarks to the Council on Foreign Relations, Lamy and Zoellick
met
privately to discuss progress in the round and a long list of
bilateral
trade disputes.
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