7 May 2009
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown highlights the importance of a successful conclusion to the Doha round of WTO talks which would increase world trade by $150 billion, but raises concerns about creeping protectionism in Europe.
Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold) (Con): The question from my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) got to the heart of the matter. A successful conclusion of the Doha round of WTO talks would increase world trade by $150 billion, and the new US trade representative, Ron Kirk, has made the positive comment that we should
Even so, creeping protectionism is returning to Europe in respect of cars, milk subsidies, steel wire and candles. What positive action can the British Government take to support our American friends and the Obama Administration, and what can they do to take a lead in Europe against that creeping protectionism?
Mr. Thomas: The Government are concerned about the possibility of the creeping protectionism that the hon. Gentleman described, which is one reason why we sought to use the G20 summit to secure agreement that the WTO would monitor what is happening in respect of possible protectionist measures. It will publish quarterly reports on the matter, and so hold a spotlight on what countries are doing.
I am sure that the hon. Gentleman and the whole House will welcome the fact that there has not been a wholesale uptake of new protectionist measures. Indeed, there has been a reduction in some of those measures, most notably in Indonesia and Argentina recently. Most significantly of all, however, the Obama Administration drew back from endorsing a very crude “Buy America” approach to Government procurement, and we warmly welcome that.
Finally, it is a little difficult to take lectures from the Opposition about working with colleagues in Europe, when they seem to have so few friends there—something that I am sure that the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke), who leads for the Opposition on these matters, will acknowledge.
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Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold) (Con): The question from my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) got to the heart of the matter. A successful conclusion of the Doha round of WTO talks would increase world trade by $150 billion, and the new US trade representative, Ron Kirk, has made the positive comment that we should
“embrace this once-in-a-generation opportunity to forge a strong framework for the future of global trade.”
Even so, creeping protectionism is returning to Europe in respect of cars, milk subsidies, steel wire and candles. What positive action can the British Government take to support our American friends and the Obama Administration, and what can they do to take a lead in Europe against that creeping protectionism?
Mr. Thomas: The Government are concerned about the possibility of the creeping protectionism that the hon. Gentleman described, which is one reason why we sought to use the G20 summit to secure agreement that the WTO would monitor what is happening in respect of possible protectionist measures. It will publish quarterly reports on the matter, and so hold a spotlight on what countries are doing.
I am sure that the hon. Gentleman and the whole House will welcome the fact that there has not been a wholesale uptake of new protectionist measures. Indeed, there has been a reduction in some of those measures, most notably in Indonesia and Argentina recently. Most significantly of all, however, the Obama Administration drew back from endorsing a very crude “Buy America” approach to Government procurement, and we warmly welcome that.
Finally, it is a little difficult to take lectures from the Opposition about working with colleagues in Europe, when they seem to have so few friends there—something that I am sure that the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke), who leads for the Opposition on these matters, will acknowledge.
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