Interviews
The latest NAMA text by WTO is 'unacceptable', Mr Bill LAKIN
02 Jun '08
3 min read
Speaking at the EURATEX General Assembly in Brussels on May 30th, EURATEX President, (Mr.) Michele TRONCONI expressed disbelief that the EU could show so little ambition in the DDA for its own development, based upon the achievement of a level playing field.
He asked: “Who benefits? Are we paying the bill for a better deal in services, or does the EU see itself as too weak in the global arena to support the interests of its own industry? Or again is it because politicians want to sign a deal for the purpose of being remembered as those who did it?” Mr. TRONCONI expressed the growing frustration of the industry at this situation: “Perhaps Brussels' and national officials too have yet to understand that companies at present are living a nightmare, with an overvalued currency, an inability to export, the risk of high inflation, and ever more regulatory obstacles being placed in their path.”
“Industry does not need lessons from European and National Government officials, nor explanations as to why particular forms of agreement have become inevitable; we need action from them on our behalf, in this case by rejecting what is on the table today in favour of genuine market access for our member-companies.”
EURATEX Director-General Bill LAKIN concluded by pointing out that since the adoption of the Commission's December 2003 mandate, which EURATEX had supported, the EU had steadily backtracked upon its ambitions, as instanced by the WTO Ministerial meetings in Cancun and Hong Kong. His view was that the Commission was sleepwalking member-states into an agreement for agreement's sake, and that it was high time that representatives of those member-states and their Ministers sent the Commission back to the negotiating table with clear instructions to do better.
He asked: “Who benefits? Are we paying the bill for a better deal in services, or does the EU see itself as too weak in the global arena to support the interests of its own industry? Or again is it because politicians want to sign a deal for the purpose of being remembered as those who did it?” Mr. TRONCONI expressed the growing frustration of the industry at this situation: “Perhaps Brussels' and national officials too have yet to understand that companies at present are living a nightmare, with an overvalued currency, an inability to export, the risk of high inflation, and ever more regulatory obstacles being placed in their path.”
“Industry does not need lessons from European and National Government officials, nor explanations as to why particular forms of agreement have become inevitable; we need action from them on our behalf, in this case by rejecting what is on the table today in favour of genuine market access for our member-companies.”
EURATEX Director-General Bill LAKIN concluded by pointing out that since the adoption of the Commission's December 2003 mandate, which EURATEX had supported, the EU had steadily backtracked upon its ambitions, as instanced by the WTO Ministerial meetings in Cancun and Hong Kong. His view was that the Commission was sleepwalking member-states into an agreement for agreement's sake, and that it was high time that representatives of those member-states and their Ministers sent the Commission back to the negotiating table with clear instructions to do better.
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