§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the annual economic cost to developing countries of the breakdown of the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Cancún. [149075]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI have no estimate of the annual economic cost to developing countries of the breakdown of the WTO ministerial conference in Cancún. However, there are a number of studies by academics and international organisations of the benefits to developing countries of a successful round of negotiations. The scale of estimated gains depends on a number of factors including the scale of trade liberalisation implemented, its timing and the product coverage. Most recently, a World Bank study ("Global Economic Prospects and the Developing Countries", 2004) estimated that significant liberalisation could boost developing country incomes by between £159 billion and £349 billion per annum by 2015.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what formal meetings she held at the ministerial conference in Cancún with representatives of developing countries. [149076]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienMy ministerial colleagues and I between us talked with Ministers from around 40 developing countries, including many from the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group, in meetings in Cancún. A visit to Honduras with Christian Aid to visit poor 1389W families meant I was in Cancún for the last 48 hours of the conference. In that time, in addition to EU and other meetings, I spoke with six developing country Ministers.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts since the breakdown of the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Cancún about(a) improving processes for decision-making and (b) taking account of the views of developing countries. [149110]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Government have had various discussion with our EU partners and the European Commission since the WTO Ministerial in Cancún.
My right hon. Friend and I met with my our fellow EU Trade Ministers and the European Commission, on 2 December, to reaffirm our commitment to the current round of negotiations and to send a clear message of the importance of positive and flexible engagement with all WTO members, including taking account of the views of developing countries. We also discussed improvements to the functioning of the WTO, in particular WTO ministerial meetings.
These discussions are reflected in the Commission's strategy paper, "Reviving the DDA Negotiations—the EU perspective", which was endorsed by the European Council of Ministers on 8 December last year.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the progress achieved by World Trade Organisation members in meeting the terms of the Cancún Declaration by 15 December 2003. [149144]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienFollowing the disappointing conclusion to the WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancan, the Government welcome the fact that all WTO members have committed themselves to re-engaging in the Doha round of trade negotiations. It is vital that all WTO members now turn themselves towards making real and significant progress in implementing the Doha Development Agenda.