Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 7 • Number 20 • 4th June 2003
G-8 Leaders Pledge To Complete Doha Round
The annual Group of Eight (G-8) Summit took place from 1-3 June in Evian, France to discuss issues related to promoting global economic growth, sustainable development and security. The heads of state of the G-8 countries — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK, and the US — met with leaders from Algeria, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa as well as representatives of the UN, World Bank, IMF and WTO. Meanwhile, and alternative gatherings and demonstrations against the G- 8 took place nearby in France and Switzerland.Business groups send message on Doha-round to G-8
Six international business associations sent a letter to the leaders of the G-8 in advance of the Summit, urging them to "demonstrate leadership by making a strong commitment to the success of the multilateral negotiations in the World Trade Organisation". The business groups were the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the US Business Roundtable (BRT), Nippon Keidanren, European Round Table of Industrialists, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and UNICE (Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederation of Europe). John Castellani, President of the BRT, said that "at a time when the economies in Europe and Japan are stagnant and the US economy is weak, ensuring that the Doha Round remains on schedule will reassure global companies who are considering new investments". ICC Chair Jean-René Fourtou stressed that "post-Iraq, there can be no better show of multilateral cooperation than a successful outcome in Cancun".
Trade-related outcomes and reactions
The G-8 leaders took a number of decision and developed action plans on issues related to strengthening growth world-wide, enhancing sustainable development and improving security, focussing attention on the needs of the African continent. On trade, the G-8 leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Doha round of trade negotiations. In a statement, they said that "we will promote the multilateral system by providing leadership in the ongoing negotiations so that improved access to markets for all WTO members is realised, particularly for the poorest, to ensure their integration into the multilateral system," and agreed to "work toward an agreed framework for finalizing the negotiations to achieve further substantial opening of trade in all areas, including agriculture and non-agricultural goods, and in services". They also said they would seek to find a solution to the issue of developing country access to essential drugs prior to the Cancun Ministerial meeting in September, and seek agreement on launching negotiations on investment, government procurement, competition policy and trade facilitation at Cancun.
Critics, however, said the G-8 leaders failed to provide specific commitments that could move the stalled WTO negotiations forward. Development organisations from both the South and the North expressed their disappointment with the G-8 meeting. A group of six African civil society organisations noted that some progress has been made in raising the $6 billion promised by the G8 in 2002, however "it should be noted that the G8 continues to spend less than 0.3 percent of their gross national product on aid". They also said that the G-8 Summit was "a lost opportunity" for progress developing country access to essential drugs. Oxfam International noted that the Summit failed to tackle Africa’s problems, "such as US and EU dumping of subsidised farm produce, which is destroying the livelihoods of millions of people".
"Business groups unite in pressing G8 to boost Doha trade round," ICC PRESS RELEASE, 21 May 2003; "G-8 Leaders Vow to Meet 2004 Deadline for Global Trade Talks," KYODO NEWS, 2 June 2003; "Anti-G8 protests flare before Evian summit opens," REUTERS, 3 June 2003; "African NGOs Call G8 Meeting a ‘Lost Opportunity’," INTER PRESS SERVICE, 3 June 2003.