Brasília - Representatives of the Via Campesina ("Peasants' Way") - an organization composed of social movements linked to small farmers and landless laborers - and the Workers' Central Union (CUT) met yesterday (14) with the Ministers of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, and of Agrarian Development, Miguel Rossetto, to discuss the negotiations over a free trade agreement between the countries of the Mercosur and the European Union (EU).
The Via Campesina demands that movements tied to family farming be heard and allowed to express their opinions on the agreement. Received for the first time in the Ministry of Foreign Relations, in Brasília, representatives of the organization were told by the Ministers that the Brazilian government will not open the market to countries that subsidize agriculture.
"It is obvious that we won't open the market to countries that operate with heavy agricultural subsidies. This is a basic point retained in the agreement," Rossetto said.
Chancellor Amorim pointed out that the concerns manifested by the social movements are legitimate, but they are already part of the government's negotiating agenda. "We shall always make use of the instruments that the World Trade Organization (WTO) offers us, namely, the right to compensation," he affirmed, in reference to the farming subsidies granted by some countries.
Rossetto explained, too, that the government does not expect to eliminate import tariffs entirely. According to the Minister, the tariff on milk, which is one of the most sensitive items in the negotiations, will be reduced 7%. The current levy on European milk that enters Brazil is 27%.
For his part, the CUT Secretary of International Relations, Rafael Freire, took the same stance as the Via Campesina: that it would be "hasty" to sign the agreement in October. "We must have more debate. What we desire is to improve the agreement," he declared. The outlook is for negotiations to be concluded on the 31st of this month.
Agência Brasil
Reporter: Ellis Regina
Translator: David Silberstein
10/15/2004
