The EU and the WTOWritten by Amarendra bhushan
The EU is one of key players in World Trade Organisation (WTO). This is because EU has a common trade policy, where European Commission negotiates on behalf of Union 's 25 Member States. As such, EU is one of driving forces behind current round of multilateral trade negotiations in WTO, Doha Development Agenda (DDA). The DDA comprises both further market opening and additional rule making, underpinned by commitments to take measures necessary to integrate developing countries into world trading system, notably by strengthening assistance to build capacity. The main objective of New Round is to put development at heart of world trade system in a way that will help them combat poverty. In July 2004 WTO Members adopted a Framework Agreement on DDA that sets out modalities for further negotiations. EU Trade Policy and WTO The EU has a common trade policy (“Common Commercial Policy”). In other words, where trade, including WTO matters, are concerned, EU acts as one single actor, where European Commission negotiates trade agreements and represents European interests on behalf of Union's 25 Member States. The legal basis for EU’s trade policy is Article 133 of European Community Treaty. On this basis, Commission negotiates on behalf of Member States, in consultation with a special committee, “the Article 133 Committee”. The 133 Committee is composed of representatives from 25 Member States and European Commission. Its main function is to coordinate EU trade policy. The Committee meets on a weekly basis, usually on a Friday in Brussels at headquarters of Council of Ministers. It discusses full range of trade policy issues affecting Community, from strategic issues surrounding launch of rounds of trade negotiations at WTO to specific difficulties with export of individual products, and considers trade aspects of wider Community policies in order to ensure consistency of policy. In this Committee, Commission presents and secures endorsement of Member States on all trade policy issues. The major formal decisions (for example agreement to launch or conclude negotiations) are then confirmed by Council of Ministers.
| | Lisbon StrategyWritten by Amarendra bhushan
The nutshell, main concerns of Europe's citizens,Jobs, growth, environment and a proper social net.The current lack of economic growth affects all of us;, our pensions, salaries and our standard of living considerably suffer from it.To avoid this, Heads of State and Government of European Union met in Lisbon in 2000 and launched a series of ambitious reforms at national and European level. By establishing an effective internal market, by boosting research and innovation and by improving education, to name only a few reform efforts, they aimed to make European Union “the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in world” by 2010.We are now half-way through process and results are not very satisfactory. The implementation of reform in Member States has been quite scarce. The reform package consists of 28 main objectives and 120 sub-objectives, with 117 different indicators. The reporting system for 25 Member States adds up to no fewer than 300 annual reports. Nobody reads of all of them.
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