WTO agreement will have to wait

6 December 1999



WTO agreement will have to wait

By FWi staff

AN agreement for global reforms to agriculture will have to wait after world trade ministers failed to reach agreement at the World Trade Organisation talks in Seattle.

Ministers had met to spell out their precise objectives for the so-called Millennium round of World Trade Organisation talks designed to free up world food trade.

WTO signatories will now reconvene early next year to press ahead with the liberalisation of farming even though the talks collapsed in disarray.

Trade envoys from WTO member countries intend to resume negotiations next month, although there is no agreed timetable or set of objectives.

• Agriculture at centre of threat to WTO talks, FWi, 26 November, 1999
• EU ready to talk subsidy cuts – Lamy, FWi, 26 October, 1999
• Growers can expect painful changes, FWi, 07 October, 1999