ＷＴＯ交渉

(Jul. 21, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun

Strive for agreement at Geneva WTO session

ＷＴＯ交渉　今度こそ大枠合意を目指せ（7月21日付・読売社説）

The Doha Round trade talks of the World Trade Organization have entered a make-or-break phase with the year-end deadline for concluding a trade accord only months away.

世界貿易機関（ＷＴＯ）の新多角的貿易交渉（ドーハ・ラウンド）は、年末の交渉期限を控え、合意か決裂かギリギリの局面を迎えた。今度こそ、大局的判断で合意すべきだ。

WTO members should reach an agreement from broader points of view this time at the round's ministerial negotiations which will start Monday in Geneva, attended by Japan, the United States and European nations as well as developing nations. Altogether, about 150 nations and regions will be represented.

日米欧や途上国など約１５０か国・地域が参加する新ラウンドの閣僚会合が、２１日からジュネーブで開かれる。

The Doha Round was launched at the end of 2001 with the goal of promoting free trade, but it has stalled on a number of occasions.

自由貿易推進を掲げ、２００１年末にスタートした新ラウンドはこれまで何度も挫折してきた。

The upcoming negotiations in Geneva may be the last chance to strike an agreement under the Doha Round. Unless an outline agreement is reached at the meeting on the major trade areas of agricultural and industrial products, there will be little chance of finalizing an accord by the end of this year.

With the November presidential election and a change of U.S. administration looming next year, Washington is not expected to make any moves on trade issues for a while. Trade negotiations, therefore, are bound to be delayed or frozen.

今回の交渉が、“最後のチャンス”だろう。農業と鉱工業品の主要分野で大枠合意できなければ、年内の最終合意は絶望的だ。米大統領選と来年の政権交代で、米国がしばらく動けず、交渉の大幅遅れや凍結は避けられまい。

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Countering protectionism

(保護貿易主義の弊害)

Recent skyrocketing food prices have prompted an increasing number of nations to restrict their agricultural exports. This situation has raised concerns about protectionist moves and provided the momentum to promote free trade. It is hoped that this momentum will help participating nations strike a deal at the meeting.

最近の食糧価格高騰に伴い、農業国の間に輸出規制が広がる。保護主義的な動きを懸念し、自由貿易を進める機運が盛り上がってきたことも、追い風にしたい。

Major stumbling blocks in the negotiations are conflicts arising from United States' staunch opposition to cutting farm subsidies, Japan and European nations' reluctance to lower tariffs on farm products and developing nations' resistance to opening their markets to industrial products.

交渉が難航している要因は、米国の農業補助金カット、日欧の農産品の関税引き下げ、途上国の鉱工業品の市場開放にそれぞれが抵抗し、対立しているためだ。

Draft proposals, submitted by the WTO secretariat for facilitating negotiations, called for setting the ratio of sensitive items--rice for Japan, for example--that countries will be allowed to maintain high tariffs at 4-6 percent of the total imported items. But the figure is much smaller than 8 percent or more proposed by Japan.

ＷＴＯ事務局がたたき台として示した合意案は、日本のコメなど高関税品の関税下げを例外扱いにする「重要品目」数を、全品目の４～６％とした。日本が主張する８％以上との開きは大きい。

The United States is opposing a draft proposal to reduce farm subsidies to 13 billion dollars-16.4 billion dollars, while developing nations are objecting to any moves by developed nations to seek major cuts in tariffs on industrial products.

米国は、「農業補助金を１３０億ドル～１６４億ドルに減らす」とした合意案に抵抗している。鉱工業品の関税では、大幅下げを求める先進国に途上国が反発する。

But mere clashes of national interests will not advance the talks. Each country or region must show willingness to compromise.

だが、国益をぶつけ合うだけでは前進しない。それぞれ譲歩する姿勢が欠かせない。

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Pain vs gain

(痛みと向上)

Further liberalization of Japan's farm market will undoubtedly come with much pain. But we wonder if there is any way that Japan will be able to overcome this by raising the productivity of the farm sector and gaining an international competitive edge through structural reform of the sector.

日本の農業分野の一層の市場開放は、かなりの痛みを伴う。だが、農業の生産性を向上させ、構造改革で国際競争力を付けながら乗り切っていく道はないのか。

On the other hand, lowering of tariffs on industrial products, such as automobiles and home appliances, will be good news for Japan's industrial sector as it can expect a boost in their exports. What decision the Japanese government--reportedly trying to seek a well-balanced trade deal--will make is closely being watched.

一方、自動車、家電などの鉱工業品関税の引き下げは、輸出増が期待でき、産業界に朗報となる。「バランスの取れた合意」を目指すとしている日本政府の決断が問われよう。

At the Group of Eight summit of major nations held in Toyakocho, Hokkaido, earlier this month, the leaders agreed on the necessity of successfully concluding the Doha Round talks as soon as possible. We hope G-8 leaders will exercise leadership to help strike a deal.

北海道洞爺湖サミット（主要国首脳会議）は、「新ラウンドの早期妥結の必要性」で一致した。首脳たちも、合意に向け、指導力を発揮してほしい。

The Doha Round is aimed at promoting free trade in not only agricultural and industrial sectors but wide-ranging areas, that include services and investment so as to enrich the world's economies, including those of developing nations. A missed opportunity to do this will be too costly for the world to accept.

新ラウンドの狙いは、農業、鉱工業品だけでなく、サービス、投資などの幅広い分野で自由貿易を推進し、途上国を含めて、世界経済を豊かにすることだ。そのチャンスを失うとすれば、代償はあまりにも大きい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 21, 2008)

（2008年7月21日01時47分  読売新聞）