MEMO to the Commission

[It seems that this memo was written and sent to the European Commission by the Agriculture Ministers of about 14 EU Member States lead by France]

The WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, at the initiative of Europe, considerably extended market access to rich and emerging country markets for products from the least developed countries (LDCs). But it did not at that stage rebalance the negotiations in favour of EU interests.

[This language is politically awkward as it seems to link the concessions made to LDCs with a lack of compensation for the EU, thus denying the special and differential treatment to be made unilaterally to LDCs. The more so as a new simulation of the Doha Round shows that, in all scenarios, LDCs will lose with the Doha Round (see further below).]

Thanks to the Commission's determination and the support of Member-States, the European Union managed nevertheless to obtain an acceptable result, unanimously approved by the General Council.

However, in exchange for the substantial concessions the EU has made on agriculture, we are now entitled to expect our partners to come some way towards us.

A precise timetable was laid down in Hong Kong for completing negotiations in 2006.

Consequently, with a view to forthcoming events, we, the ministers who have signed this memorandum, wish to inform you of our expectations and concerns with respect to a number of negotiating points.

Click here to download the whole article.

Click here to download the whole article in French Version.

Read Jacques Berthelot's MEMORANDUM ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE FUTURE OF THE REFORMED CAP:

Click here for the English Version.

Click here for the French Version.