Trade deal progress ‘doable’: WTO

WORLD Trade Organisation director general Pascal Lamy said this week “it is still doable” for trade ministers to outline of an agreement in world trade talks this month.

He said agreement is needed in May or June on agricultural subsidies, agricultural tariffs and industrial tariffs — just three of the 20 world trade topics for negotiation.

Meanwhile, the European Commission said beef tariffs would not come down 70% in a trade agreement. As a sensitive product, beef would escape with a one third tariff cut, of 23%. “As tariffs for beef are relatively high today, that means that significant border protection will remain,” according to the commission.