WTO NON-AGRICULTURAL MARKET ACCESS NEGOTIATING

UNCLAS MADRID 000455

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EB/TPP/MTA/MST (JALLEN)
DEPT PASS USTR (SBOVIN)
DEPT PASS USDOC (AMILLER AND EDUNN)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SP WTO
SUBJECT: WTO NON-AGRICULTURAL MARKET ACCESS NEGOTIATING
FRAMEWORK OUTREACH ON SECTORAL INITIATIVES

REF: STATE 17096

1.EconOff met on 2/4/05 with Arancha Herran Lafoz, an
international relations staff person for the Spanish
Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE),to discuss
sectoral initiatives per reftel request. Herran explained
that CEOE is a national umbrella organization representing
many different interests. Moreover, CEOE coordinates its
international trade positions with the European Union of
Businesses (UNICE) in Brussels. She said that CEOE's basic
position was that before sectoral initiatives could be
considered, Doha round trading partners should agree upon
non-lineal tariff cuts from applied, not bound, rates for a
maximum 15% rate. Herran would not be drawn into a
discussion into what sectoral initiatives CEOE might support,
although she noted that in Cancun, CEOE supported a sectoral
textiles/footwear initiative, as long as it was based upon
reciprocity. In March, CEOE will survey its members
regarding what sectors might be appropriate for sectoral
intiatives. Herran promised to share the results of this
survey as soon as it was completed.


2. CONTACT INFORMATION

Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations
Arancha Herran Lafoz (Department of International Relations)
Diego de Leon, 50 28006 Madrid
Spain
Tel: 34 91 566 35 47
Fax: 91 564 01 35
E-mail: aherran@ceoe.es

MANZANARES