Buy local sounds good if you are a “local” producer or consumer, but not if you are trying to enter a foreign market. That complaint was voiced once again as the world’s nations struggle to complete the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotions named for the Qatari city of Doha, negotiations that initially started in 2001.
Reuters reporters Neil Chatterjee and Nopporn Wong-Anan filed a report today (July 21, 2009) signaling nation-members of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) are ready to shun protectionist measures, such as “buy local” provisions that hinder their abilities to export their products. To read the Reuters story click here.
Despite their opposition to “buy local” provisions, APEC members maintain they are still committed to completing the long-delayed Doha round by 2010. The opposition to “buy local” provisions was reached via a consensus of the APEC member-states, but it is not binding, and in theory should not affect bi-lateral trade agreements. An official announcement of this stance may come Wednesday.
For his part, United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk was encouraged that members of APEC were being up front about their needs from Doha. WTO Director General Pascal Lamy hopes that a Doha deal could provide $130 billion stimulus to the world economy. At the very least it would bring an end to negotiations that have been ongoing for nearly nine years.
An examination of the Doha progress will be undertaken by world leaders at the G20 summit which will be held in Pittsburgh, PA in September. For some, the success of Doha hinges on the United State’s stances on agriculture and other issues where complaints of "protectionism" have been made. Doha has been a long process, and with the world recession on-going, it is hard to predict what advancements may come out of Pittsburgh.
Posted: 07/21/09
