(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
(EU) and the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR)? - FDCL
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1.2 Trade - Development?<br />
Negotiations on <strong>the</strong> “liberalization” <strong>of</strong> market access <strong>and</strong> trade <strong>of</strong> goods <strong>and</strong><br />
services seem to take place everywhere <strong>the</strong>se days.<br />
<strong>EU</strong> Trade Commissioner, Pascal Lamy, judges <strong>the</strong> comprehensive opening <strong>of</strong><br />
market access within <strong>the</strong> framework <strong>of</strong> WTO negotiations as follows:<br />
“WTO-members must fur<strong>the</strong>r liberalize access to markets for goods <strong>and</strong> services,<br />
on <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> predictable <strong>and</strong> non-discriminatory rules. Agriculture,<br />
services <strong>and</strong> non-agriculture tariffs are all key-areas for improving market<br />
access.” 5<br />
Lamy views development as a consequence <strong>of</strong> this “liberalization” <strong>of</strong> trade:<br />
“Trade <strong>and</strong> investment liberalization <strong>of</strong>fer great opportunities for economic<br />
growth <strong>and</strong> sustainable development.” 6<br />
With regards to <strong>the</strong> Free Trade Area <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Americas that is to be created, <strong>the</strong><br />
U.S. Trade Representative, Robert B. Zoellick, has a similar view:<br />
“A Tariff-Free World: Every corner store in America becomes a duty-free shop<br />
for working families.” 7<br />
The WTO ministerial declaration <strong>of</strong> Doha [WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1, 20 November<br />
2001] defines <strong>the</strong> relationship between trade <strong>and</strong> development in a similar way:<br />
“International trade can play a major role in <strong>the</strong> promotion <strong>of</strong> economic development<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> alleviation <strong>of</strong> poverty.” 8<br />
The negotiations about opening up markets like <strong>the</strong> multilateral negotiations <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> WTO, <strong>the</strong> regional ones within <strong>the</strong> framework <strong>of</strong> FTAA as well as <strong>the</strong> bilateral<br />
ones such as <strong>the</strong> <strong>MERCOSUR</strong>-<strong>EU</strong> negotiations, are driven by <strong>the</strong> strong belief that<br />
free trade <strong>and</strong> development are closely linked. It can be ga<strong>the</strong>red from interregional<br />
press sources, that <strong>the</strong> agricultural sector is <strong>the</strong> key issue in all international negotiations.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> main reasons for this is that all parties involved regard <strong>the</strong> question<br />
<strong>of</strong> agricultural subsidies for exported goods <strong>and</strong> internal production as one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
most sensitive issues . Additionally, limited market access for agricultural products<br />
from <strong>the</strong> “<strong>South</strong>”, due to tariffs or phytosanitary trade barriers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> “North”, consti-<br />
5<br />
http://trade-info.cec.eu.int/europa/2001newround/nr.pdf.<br />
6<br />
http://trade-info.cec.eu.int/europa/2001newround/nr.pdf.<br />
7<br />
http://www.ustr.gov/new/zero_tariff-presentation.ppt.<br />
8<br />
http://www.wto.org/english/<strong>the</strong>wto_e/minist_e/min01_e/mindecl_e.htm#organization.<br />
13