HC Deb 17 July 2003 vol 409 c573W
Syd Rapson

To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps will be taken at the next World Trade Organisation meeting on promoting the freedom of developing countries to choose the path of trade liberalisation best suited to its particular circumstances for achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction. [125899]

Hilary Benn

The Government are committed to delivering on our commitments to make the current round of WTO trade negotiations truly a "Development Round". With the European Commission, we are actively working to secure a substantial package of Special and Differential Treatment measures to ensure that any agreements negotiated take full account of the specific needs of individual countries, and are supported by targeted trade related capacity building. We will do all we can to ensure that, through the European Commission, the next WTO ministerial meeting in Cancun makes real progress with the so-called Doha Development Agenda.

The UK Government are also providing a wide-ranging programme of Trade Related Capacity Building designed to help developing countries formulate and implement their own trade development strategies, stimulate trade, and help them participate in and benefit from the institutions, negotiations and processes that shape national trade policy and the rules and practices of international commerce.