Report from meeting on 2nd Feb. 2006

Update on agriculture topics in the Doha Development Agenda from Hong Kong and Davos.

On 1st Feb. there was a meeting in Brussels of the following NGOs: Amnesty Int., Christian Aid, Danish 92 Group, ETUC, FOEE, Germanwatch, ICDA, ICFTU, Solidar, WIDE and WWF. They distributed copies of their collective letter dated 15 Nov. 2004 (viz.) and Mandelson’s answer dated 14 March 2005. They are asking for 5 “specific new elements” to make the “briefings” more of a “real dialogue”. Commissioner Mandelson’s answer is anything but a rejection of the CS dialogue process and more about expanding it.

Thomas Ruddy requests clarification of the relationship between the Sustainabiity Impact Assessment (SIA) process and the Commission-wide Impact Assessment process in anticipation of the next SIA meeting on 15th Feb.

Commission Environment Person Rupert Schlegelmilch explained that only new initiatives require the new IA process, not the older SIA.


Thomas Ruddy reasoned and commented that logically the new IA process would apply to the new regional Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) under discussion by the Austrian Presidency.

Half-way down this official Austrian page one can see that new FTA may be negotiated in Latin America, Andean and Central America,

http://www.eu2006.at/en/Policy_Areas/General_Affairs_and_External_Relations/CFSP/CFSP_Presidency_Programme.html

Secondly, more detailed talks are also to be held with the Andean Community and Central America, which could include the start of negotiations on Association Agreements. Free trade arrangements are to be part of these agreements.

 

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