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Key players from the World Trade Organisation were returning to the table to try to smooth the path to the global body's Hong Kong conference, now just three weeks away.

A report published on 21 November 2005 has attacked what it claims is the overwhelming influence exerted by corporate lobbyists on the trade agenda pursued by the European Commission.

Activists from fair trade groups protested outside an EU trade and foreign ministers meeting Monday, calling for negotiators to put people ahead of business at world trade talks next month.

EU foreign ministers were briefed on 21 November by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson on progress in WTO trade talks less than three weeks ahead of the Hong Kong WTO Summit.

Latin America and the Caribbean are demanding that the world's rich countries dismantle their protectionist systems of farm subsidies as they seek to sustain and expand on the success enjoyed by farm exports in the region, which have, however, failed to provide significant benefits for the broader population.

Agriculture lies at the centre of the Doha Round and is the engine of the negotiations, the Group of 20 developing countries stressed on 9 November in a Ministerial press statement.

Following the decision last week to lower expectations on what the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting will achieve, there is an atmosphere of uncertainty as to the process between now and the Hong Kong meeting, as well as after.

The European Union is poised to make a new offer to poor countries on reducing subsidies to EU cotton growers and lowering barriers to the EU market ahead of a key WTO meeting in December, the European Commission said.

The European Union rounded on critics of its hardline stance on farm aid in embattled world trade talks, saying they should spend less time 'finger-pointing' and more effort seeking compromise.

Bliss said that the administration continues to be 'mindful' of congressional 'sensitivities' concerning calls by India and other developing countries for agreement in the WTO on facilitating the temporary cross-border movement of professional personnel--known as Mode 4--and that the United States has no plans to propose any new initiative in the area.