Washington DC – In a letter to United States Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) commended his continued support of launching a new round of multilateral trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Fourth Ministerial Conference this November. (Click here to see letter)
“Symbolically and substantively, a successful launch of a new WTO Round will instill confidence and clarity about our commitment to leading America’s economy, and those of our trading partners, toward a continued path of prosperity, strength, openness, and peaceful dispute settlement,” wrote Bill Reinsch, president of the NFTC. “A successful launch takes on even greater importance and meaning given the current global economic downturn and uncertainty.”
The NFTC provided seven comments on key provisions in the draft recently issued by the Chairman of the General Council, Stuart Harbinson, in cooperation with the Director-General, Mike Moore.
The NFTC strongly believes that a new WTO Round should mandate an ambitious negotiating agenda that is focused on comprehensive market access liberalization for goods, services and agriculture. In particular, the NFTC urged that the WTO set forth a global zero tariff vision for a negotiation on industrial tariffs. At the end of June, an NFTC delegation met with key missions to the WTO in Geneva to convey strong support for a new Round based on a bold agenda on market access.
Contact: Eric Thomas
Emily Kelley
(202) 822-9491
