EU backs Mandelson's approach to WTO deadlock

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BRUSSELS, Mar 11 (Reuters): European Union trade chief Peter Mandelson got support from EU countries yesterday to push for a better deal for European companies in global trade talks, but Ireland again warned against further farm concessions.
With the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks entering a decisive phase, EU foreign ministers expressed "support for the (European) Commission in seeking the further improvements" in the negotiations, a joint statement said.
The EU, the United States and other rich economies want big developing nations such as Brazil and South Africa to open their economies more for manufactured goods and services, as part of the WTO's long-delayed Doha round of global trade talks.
Last month, several EU states led by France accused Mandelson of offering too many concessions on farm trade for little return from other WTO countries. Since then, Mandelson has stressed the need for movement by other countries. He warned last week that the Doha round faced a high risk of failure without such concessions.
The round was launched in 2001 in a bid to boost the global economy and help poor countries fight poverty by lowering barriers to trade around the world. But they have missed deadline after deadline as rich and poor countries argued.