The US proposal on Agriculture seen as source of momentum
The Doha negotiations, which only a few months ago was characterized as stalled over many areas of disagreements among Members, are now back in motion. This is the common refrain from heads of key negotiating committees-Agriculture, NAMA, and Services-in a series of lobby meetings with social movements and NGOs in Geneva. This was also the assessment expressed at the meeting with the Brazilian Mission and the meeting with the G90 yesterday.
Agriculture the Locomotive
The agriculture negotiations remain the most important area in this round. Ambassador Mateo of Mexico, the chair of the services negotiations in fact referred to this round as an agriculture round and called the agriculture negotiations ³the locomotive of the round. ² The proposal of the United States to cut by 60% its subsidies, committing to eliminate export subsidies by 2010, and challenging EU and Japan to commit to as much as 70% reduction of their own support to their farmers has provided a big push to the negotiations.
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