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