HL Deb 05 June 2003 vol 648 cc183-5WA
Lord Judd

asked Her Majesty's Government:

With particular reference to their commitment to NePAD (the New Partnership for Africa's Development), what will be their specific objectives at the G8 Summit in June 2003 with reference to each of the following:

  1. (a) the end of dumping by the industrialised world in the poor world;
  2. (b)the end of subsidies for goods exported by the industrialised world to the poor world; and
  3. (c) the elimination of tariff escalation by industrialised countries, including the European Union, on processed goods exported by the poor countries of the world. [HL3054]

The Secretary of State for International Development (Baroness Amos):

In the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the draft modalities of the agriculture negotiations put forward by the chairman of the Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture, Stuart Harbinson, include specific proposals on:

  1. (1) disciplines for food aid and export credits as well as export subsidies specifically to address the issue of dumping;
  2. (2) the structure and targets for reductions in domestic support; and
  3. (3)a tariff reduction formula, which also aims at tackling tariff peaks and tariff escalation.

Also, the European Commission's agriculture proposals to the WTO include provisions to:

  1. (1) reduce export subsidies by 45 per cent;
  2. (2)cut trade-distorting domestic support by 55 per cent; and
  3. (3)reduce tariffs by 36 per cent.

The Commission's proposal specifically mentions the need to tackle tariff escalation.

The UK objectives for the G8 summit included obtaining G8 commitment to making real progress in the WTO negotiations, particularly but not only to meet the concerns of African countries. These concerns include commitment to establishing fair rules for special and differential treatment (the "development box"), ensuring real reductions in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) agricultural subsidies and improving market access for developing country agricultural products. UK objectives more specific to Africa were to obtain G8 commitment to improving and harmonising preferential access schemes for African products, expanding the integrated framework for trade-related capacity building to low-income Africa countries, and obtaining agreement on a meaningful African trade initiative based on the French proposals.

The G8 agreed a statement on co-operative action on trade, which emphasises the importance of continuing to strengthen the multilateral system, and delivering the Doha Development Agenda. G8 leaders reiterated their commitment to the objective of duty-free quota-free market access for products originating from least developed countries and to improve the effectiveness and ease of use of their respective trade preference programmes, but no commitments were made on addressing export subsidies.

Lord Judd

asked Her Majesty's Government:

With particular reference to their commitment to NEPAD (the New Partnership for Africa's Development), what will be their specific objectives at the G8 Summit in June 2003 with reference to each of the following:

  1. (a) quota and tariff-free exports of agricultural produce and agriculture-related goods to the WA 185 industrialised world including the European Union;
  2. (b)a "development box" within the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Agriculture;
  3. (c) the proposals by President Chirac for a moratorium on subsidies on all goods exported to Africa during current trade negotiations; and;
  4. (d) implementation of the ICO (International Coffee Organisation) Coffee Rescue Plan. [HL3055]

Baroness Amos:

UK objectives for the G8 Summit included obtaining G8 commitment to making real progress on the African concerns at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations. These concerns include commitment to establishing fair rules for special and differential treatment (the "development box"), ensuring real reductions in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) agricultural subsidies and improving market access for developing country agricultural products. UK objectives more specific to Africa were to obtain G8 commitment to improving and harmonising preferential access schemes for African products, expanding the integrated framework for trade-related capacity building to low-income Africa countries, and obtaining agreement on a meaningful African trade initiative based on the French proposals. The UK had no specific objective for the G8 meeting for the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) rescue plan but endorses the ICO quality improvement programme.

The G8 agreed a statement on co-operative action on trade, which emphasises the importance of continuing to strengthen the multilateral system, and delivering the Doha Development Agenda including through decisions at Cancun. Specific actions identified are: to achieve further substantial opening of trade in particular in areas of interest to developing countries; to strengthen WTO rules and disciplines; to reach a solution on access to medicines for developing countries; to help with capacity building for trade; and to improve preferences for poor countries. There was limited progress on an African trade initiative following US objections to the proposed export subsidy moratorium proposed. Two of the original French proposals were referred to in the implementation report by Africa personal representatives to leaders on the G8 African Action Plan, in which G8 leaders reiterated commitment to the objective of duty-free quota-free market access for products originating from least developed countries and to improve the effectiveness and ease of use of their respective trade preference programmes. They welcomed the efforts underway by the World Bank Group to examine the potential for effective market-based mechanisms to help to mitigate weather and commodity shocks.