News

On 29 June during the European Union’s General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) meeting in Geneva where Doha round of negotiations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was discussed Acting Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis expressed support for the efforts of the European Commission to reach balanced and ambitious results in Doha Round of negotiations.

According to the Foreign Minister economic interests should be prioritized in the negotiations in order to ensure competitiveness of the EU in the world. The negotiation results should be favourable for the EU industry and ensure balanced development of sensitive areas such as agriculture.

Lithuania expects that the new WTO negotiation round will open broader possibilities for exporting Lithuanian products and services, encourage developing countries to take on ambitious commitments on product and service market opening.

Current negotiation proposals of other states do not allow Lithuanian exporters sufficient market access so it is necessary to ensure reduction of custom duties and removal of other obstacles to foreign trade. Meanwhile, extreme requirements of the agricultural exporters (Brazil, U.S., Australia etc.) to reduce the EU’s (and Lithuania’s as well) agricultural custom duties should be moderated.

In the area of agricultural subventions the aim is to make the U.S. and other states that are heavily subsidizing their agriculture reform their agriculture promotion programs. This would create equal competitive positions, increase world agriculture prices and open up new opportunities for Lithuanian agriculture exporters.