Developing countries: trade-related assistance

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Luisa MORGANTINI (EUL/NGL, Italy) on trade and development. (Please see the summary of 09/07/03.) On the question of Doha and Cancun, Parliament called for a sustainable impact assessment to be carried out systematically before and after trade agreements are concluded, with the active participation of the populations concerned. If the EU wishes to provide effective support for developing countries, it must carry out an assessment of the impact of its trade policy on the populations of developing countries, whether at bilateral and/or multilateral level, in order to draw the necessary lessons and redesign its trade policy. A fair and regulated trade system whose goal is a global sustainable development strategy is the best means of promoting economic growth and employment. The Doha round must allow developing and least-developed countries the flexibility they need to maintain their subsistence farming sector as well as to fulfil their development and food security needs. Parliament therefore asked the Commission to support the application of the special provisions of the WTO agriculture agreement empowering developing countries to protect their small producers by means of a stability fund. Parliament went on to ask the EU and all developed countries to make further efforts to assist the poorest countries in diversifying their production and increasing the export of their locally processed high-value products. On the question of access to medicines, Parliament stated that a failure to honour the Doha agreement on TRIPS and Public Health would constitute a breach of faith by the industrialised countries, which could derail the current trade round. All WTO members must implement paragraph 6 of that Declaration without delay. The language of the Doha declaration is clear and unambiguous. The Commission must respect the Declaration and reject any position that would result in limitations regarding the scope of diseases or the countries that could make use of an effective solution to the problem defined in paragraph 6 of that Declaration. Finally, Parliament urged the Commission to provide financial support for undertakings and associations which practise and promote fair trade in the EU.�