§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the United Kingdom's policy is on the proposal from the US and other Governments to negotiate a forest products sectoral trade liberalisation agreement before the 1999 WTO ministerial conference in Seattle. [82262]
§ Mr. WilsonThe possibility of a sectoral liberalisation agreement reducing tariffs on forest products and other limited sectors is being proposed by the US and other members of APEC for agreement at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Seattle. The primary objective of the Conference is to launch a new comprehensive round of trade negotiations, including industrial tariffs, agriculture, services and technical standards and a range of other issues. The UK's priority issues were set out in my previous answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Stunell) of 21 January 1999,Official Report, column 548. The UK and the EU are concerned not to lose momentum for launching the wider negotiations at Seattle by focusing only on limited sectors. We do not rule out early agreements on tariffs including the forest product sector during the course of the new round as part of a comprehensive package of negotiations.