The United States Administration’s proposal to the World Trade Organisation’s agriculture committee was welcome, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today.

The United States has proposed eliminating agricultural export subsidies over five
years following conclusion of the ongoing Doha negotiations.

Mr Sutton said the proposal, by such a major player in the international trade arena, would add momentum to the Doha round of international trade negotiations begun last year.

“New Zealand has long been against agricultural export subsidies and we will be pressing hard in negotiations to have these subsidies eliminated, markets opened, and trade-distorting domestic subsidies substantially reduced.