U.S. Position Leads to WTO Doha Round Suspension

Efforts to reach a successful conclusion of the WTO Doha Round have broken down and been formally suspended. The principal reason for this failure lies at the door of the United States, whose lack of flexibility over reducing farm subsidies proved a deal-breaker.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson expressed the EU's disappointment and sadness, and said, "This [result] is neither desirable nor inevitable. It could so easily have been avoided. Having been mandated by heads of government at the G8 to come together to indicate further flexibility, I felt that each of us did, except the United States...[The] U.S. has judged that it would be better for the process of negotiation to be discontinued at this stage..."

"The EU is not giving up on this Round. We have stuck with it, paid into it, given a lot, indeed given more than others. We will continue to do so because it is right and fair to do so towards the developing world, as well as in our own economic interests. I hope that when the smoke has cleared, others will want to do the same. We stand ready to pick up where we have left off."

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