Luciana Vasconcelos
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasilia – By December, the G20’s (group integrated by 20 developing nations) new proposals for the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be ready, in time for the 6th WTO Ministerial Conference, in Hong Kong.

Back from a trip to Angola, Brazilian Minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, talked about the G20’s proposal at an interview to Agência Brasil. He said that the proposal got close to a consensus at the last WTO’s meeting, the Informal Ministerial Meeting, in Dalian, China, close to the border with North Korea.

The proposal suggests three pillars that have the objective of reaching a balance in agriculture-related negotiations. The first pillar entails domestic support and the reduction of tariffs that distort world commerce.

The second pillar involves the freezing of all exportation subsidies. It also affirms that all types of subsidies should be eliminated within a period of no longer than five years.

In the third pillar, about market access, the G20 considers that a formula of linear tariff reduction, within ranges, is the best alternative for promoting negotiations.

The Minister was optimistic about the proposal, which, according to him, was well received by the United States and the European Union. "I’m positive we will make advances," he said.

Translation: Andréa Alves