§ Hugh BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she made to the EU Trade Commissioner in advance of the World Trade Organisation's general council meeting about the agreements which need to be made to retain broad support from developing countries for the Doha trade round; and if she will make a statement about progress made to date on the negotiations in this round. [86948]
§ Ms HewittNegotiations are in full flow and technical progress has been made in most areas of the negotiations.
I am in regular contact with Commissioner Lamy and have spoken to him recently. I stressed, in particular, the importance of reaching an agreement on how WTO members without sufficient manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector can make use of compulsory licensing for essential medicines; and on reaching agreement on special and differential treatment for developing countries. Looking to the future, progress on these issues and on agriculture will have to be made to ensure that development countries continue to support the Doha trade round.