GENEVA, 4 Feb. (Reuters) - While trading powers embark on a new offensive to drive the Doha Round, Mexico has presented a comprehensive proposal to try to break the prolonged deadlock in negotiations. Trade ministers pledged last week to reach an agreement in principle in July and instruct their negotiators in Geneva that would make the necessary concessions.
Mexico's proposal faced so far is the main difference in the negotiations: the call for rich countries to a broader agreement, meet the demand of poor economies to reach an agreement that promotes development. U.S. and EU want emerging countries to open their markets to a greater extent than they have so far offered, while developing economies want the rich world make a major contribution towards an agreement.
Since it is already clear that the world's poorest countries would not have to make concessions, the differences revolve around the rich countries and the fast-growing emerging, such as Brazil, China, India, South Africa and Thailand. The Mexican initiative, which was obtained by Reuters, would require rich countries to do more to open their markets to developing economies.
The proposal seeks to open a wide range of markets, ranging from agriculture and industrial goods to services, allowing the negotiators to make concessions. For example, a country might be willing to make deeper cuts in industrial tariffs if you see your partner may make concessions on taxes on imports of agricultural products.
"In the areas of market access, progress has been quite limited," said Mexican Economy Minister, Bruno Ferrari, the Ministers of Trade during the Davos Forum held in late January, according to a participant in the meeting. "Therefore, the question is whether we can create shortcuts to a simultaneous solution to all issues of market access," he emphasized, as a reproduction of their statements. 
Mexico's proposal faced so far is the main difference in the negotiations: the call for rich countries to a broader agreement, meet the demand of poor economies to reach an agreement that promotes development. U.S. and EU want emerging countries to open their markets to a greater extent than they have so far offered, while developing economies want the rich world make a major contribution towards an agreement.
Since it is already clear that the world's poorest countries would not have to make concessions, the differences revolve around the rich countries and the fast-growing emerging, such as Brazil, China, India, South Africa and Thailand. The Mexican initiative, which was obtained by Reuters, would require rich countries to do more to open their markets to developing economies.
The proposal seeks to open a wide range of markets, ranging from agriculture and industrial goods to services, allowing the negotiators to make concessions. For example, a country might be willing to make deeper cuts in industrial tariffs if you see your partner may make concessions on taxes on imports of agricultural products.
"In the areas of market access, progress has been quite limited," said Mexican Economy Minister, Bruno Ferrari, the Ministers of Trade during the Davos Forum held in late January, according to a participant in the meeting. "Therefore, the question is whether we can create shortcuts to a simultaneous solution to all issues of market access," he emphasized, as a reproduction of their statements.
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