No cuts in trade barriers
Only broad guidelines for the conduct of future negotiations were agreed.
WTO talks observers said the main breakthrough was the copper-fastening of the EU's commitment to eliminate agricultural export subsidies. With the US in principle accepting curbs on its food aid and export credit programmes, and the US and other rich countries making commitments to reduce their subsidisation of farmers' incomes, WTO talks have now reached the half-way stage, lagging nearly three years behind their original schedule.
