Rich and poor say subsidies must go

09 September 1999

Rich and poor say subsidies must go

RICH and poor countries are agreed that farm subsidies which distort trade and damage the environment must end, reports the Financial Times.

Agreement was reached at a meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which was called to discuss future global trade negotiations, says the paper.

But developing countries found themselves at loggerheads with industrialised countries over proposals to link world trade rules to environmental goals.

A new round of WTO trade liberalisation talks is due to be launched at a ministerial meeting in the US city of Seattle in late November.

• Financial Times 09/09/99 page 6