Cancun breakdown leads to more help from EU

Tuesday, October 14, 2003

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Caribbean and other developing countries have gotten the ear of the European Union and will be getting their support, the Jamaica Gleaner is reporting. The move comes in the wake of the breakdown of trade talks at the recent Fifth World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico

The paper quoted Mr. K.D. Knight, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, as saying discussions held earlier this month, between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states and their partners in the EU were "positive and productive" in response to the outcome of the Cancun Ministerial meeting. 

"In contrast to the lack of movement on Special and Differential Treatment in the Doha Agenda discussions, I am pleased to report that the European Community (EC) has reaffirmed its concurrence that special and differential treatment should be provided to all ACP states," Mr. Knight said in an address to Parliament recently. The policy, he indicated, was most necessary with regard to the least developed countries (LDCs) and vulnerable, small, landlocked island countries. 

The Minister indicated that it was important for the Caribbean region to put the dialogue on international trade "back on track" during its subsequent meetings with the industrialised partners. 

"In this context we welcome the EC's move to become more flexible in agreeing to continue talks on Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) product coverage and the length of transitional periods with regard to access to ACP markets," the paper quoted Minister Knight as adding. 

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