Failure of the WTO Agreement
Developing countries' interests must be taken into account
Commenting on the failure of the WTO agreement Greens/EFA spokesperson on trade issues Ska Keller today said:
"The concerns voiced by India and other developing countries regarding the conclusion of the WTO agreement from Bali are legitimate and consistent with their interests. Developing countries need to be able to support their own population. Trade agreements need to be beneficial for countries that suffer the most from extreme poverty.
The trade deal of Bali was flawed from the beginning. Developing countries and newly industrialising countries had to accept strong demands, whereas industrialised countries did not want to open their markets to agricultural goods from the Global South. The legitimate concerns of developing countries about the food security of their population need to be taken seriously.
New trade negotiations have to take the needs of the poor into consideration. They need to aim at ending poverty, fostering sustainable development and protecting human rights and the environment. Such a trade agreement could certainly be signed by developing countries."
