Agência Brasil

Brasília - The director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Pascal Lamy, met today (31) with industrial association leaders in the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP) to discuss issues that have deadlocked negotiations to liberalize world trade.

The end of April will mark the end of the period the countries have set to conclude the WTO's Doha Round, and so far there is no definition of the cuts developing countries will make in their import duties on manufactured goods.

Another sticking point involves the offers the European Union and the United States have placed on the table in terms of eliminating their agricultural subsidies and expanding access to their markets. Their offers are inconsistent with the demands made by developing countries, led by Brazil.

Translation: David Silberstein