NAM Official speaks for manufacturers at Doha negotiations.

Press Release Summary:



Frank Vargo, International VP of the NAM, spoke in behalf of U.S. manufacturers at the Doha negotiations held in Geneva, Switzerland. Vargo led off his statement by saying "Manufactured goods are 60 percent of all world trade. The rapidly-growing emerging manufacturing powers of Brazil, India, and China have benefited from the World Trade Organization (WTO) rounds of trade liberalization and can benefit more from the current Doha Round - but only if there is a Doha Round."




Original Press Release:



NAM Says Deal Not Possible without Reciprocity



"Road to Doha Could end in New Delhi," Say Vargo

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, July 24, 2008 - Frank Vargo, International Vice President of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), providing a voice for U.S. manufacturers on the scene in the Doha negotiations, issued the following statement today:

Manufactured goods are 60 percent of all world trade. The rapidly-growing emerging manufacturing powers of Brazil, India, and China have benefited from the World Trade Organization (WTO) rounds of trade liberalization and can benefit more from the current Doha Round - but only if there is a Doha Round."

Huge divides need to be bridged in the next two days, if the Round is to move forward. But the essential nature of these divides is the continuing view of the big emerging manufacturers that they want more from the industrial countries while being unwilling to contribute with any significant opening of their own markets."

"You open up, while I stay closed," is basically what they are saying. They want us to cut our tariffs in half while at best they cut about one-tenth - this has been the great divide in the WTO industrial tariff negotiations for years.

This was never in the cards, and if the emerging countries really want a Doha Round and really want more access to industrial country markets, the moment of truth is here. In the next day or so they have to decide whether they want to contribute to more market access around the world or not - the Doha Round is not a one-way donor's conference."

These big emerging manufacturers are world powers in trade, not weak and minor participants - they account for well over half the U.S. manufactured goods deficit, for example," Vargo said. "If they want a deal, it is there to be had - but they are running out of time to shift from rhetoric to reason."

But as of now, we don't see any sign of that despite how late it is," said Vargo. It looks like if the "Road to Doha" comes to an end, it is likely to end in New Delhi.

The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAM has 11 additional offices across the country. Visit the NAM's award-winning web site at www.nam.org for more information about manufacturing and the economy.

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