Asean members band together to push common interest in WTO meeting

Member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to push for their common interest in the forthcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) talks on global trade reforms, particulary in the agriculture sector which will be the focus of negotiations.

Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr., who attended the recent ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry meeting in Kuala Kumpur, Malaysia, said that the group agreed to work more cohesively and speak out as a group to strengthen each country’s bid to gain greater market access in the more developed countries.

The group, including the recent economic alliance led by the Philippines and 14 other developing countries is expected to jostle with the world’s economic giants the United States and European Union when they try to resolve existing trade distortions that have kept poor nations’ various industries reeling from the unfair competition.

During the ministers’ meeting, the group, which includes the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Brunei, Asean members Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia and Cambodia, noted that their economic ties and areas of cooperation should evolve into a trading bloc that could influence negotiations for more substantial trade reforms in the WTO meeting in Cancun, Mexico in September.

"Finally, there is agreement that the ASEAN should not just be a social club, but should work together and establish that clout to make developed countries listen to our demands for a more level-playing field," said Lorenzo.

In a joint statement, the ASEAN said in the conclusion of its meeting: "The Ministers noted the importance of multilateral negotiations under the WTO, in particular of the agriculture negotiations.The expeditious conclusion of the agriculture negotiations defined by modalities fully consistent with the Doha Development Agenda is more important to establish a fair trade for agriculture, thus allowing for increasing world trade in agriculture products while enabling all members, in particular, developing and least developing countries, the enjoyment of their just benefits under a multilateral trading system."

The collective approach of the ASEAN can be applied in each country’s respective trade tussles with other countries.

"For instance, the ASEAN can back our ongoing trade impasse with Australia which has consistently imposed non-tariff barriers to block the entry of our bananas and pineapples into their market," said Lorenzo.

To jumpstart this initiative, the ministers agreed to establish the ASEAN technical food safety network and assigned Thailand to be the focal point of such move.

The network on ASEAN food safety will provide recommendations for better coordinated efforts for the working groups to help resolve recurring problems of non-tariff barriers encountered in the trade of food and agricultural products from ASEAN.