Baucus Comments on Collapse of Doha Talks, Looks Ahead To Future
Finance Chairman commends Schwab for walking away from a bad deal for American farmers and ranchers
Washington, DC – Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said today that U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Susan Schwab was right to walk away from negotiations in the Doha Round of World Trade Organization talks when it became clear that talks would fail to produce meaningful market access gains for America’s agricultural producers and other exporters. WTO trade ministers today reached an impasse in negotiations meant to open up world trade in agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
“It is clear that some of our trading partners are not ready to make the commitments necessary to conclude these talks. The U.S. needs to stand firm for our farmers, ranchers, and other exporters – not give away the store,” said Baucus. “Ambassador Schwab sees that no deal is better than a bad deal at Doha. I’ll work with her and with the next administration to get back to the drawing board at some point in the future, and lead these talks to a successful conclusion for American producers.”
Earlier today, Baucus urged Schwab to resist pressure to reach a Doha deal that does not benefit U.S. exporters. Certain advanced developing countries – notably China and India – sought to use the "Special Safeguard Mechanism" to erect higher barriers to agriculture trade than currently exist. And talks to liberalize trade in non-agricultural products, or "NAMA," also stalled over the failure of key countries to reduce tariffs in sectors of interest to U.S. exporters.
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