The Inter-Parliamentary Union and the European Parliament (EP) are convinced that an agreement paving the way for an eventual conclusion of the Doha Round is within reach. They urge World Trade Organization's members - and in particular the United States, the European Union and the G20 developing countries - to show political will and take the necessary steps to identify possible concessions urgently.

Legislators meeting at the IPU Headquarters, The House of Parliament, were encouraged by the words of the WTO Director-General, Mr. Pascal Lamy, who addressed a session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO. He said that there are three crucial elements for the achievement of the interim agreement: the amount of the reduction in trade-distorting agricultural subsidies, in agricultural tariffs and in industrial tariffs.

A compromise lies on the path of mutual and balanced concessions, taking into account the overall world economic landscape and the enormous risks involved in a continued stalemate. "We undertake to ensure parliamentary backing for the conclusion of a real Development Round", concluded the Steering Committee members.

The Parliamentary Conference on the WTO is a joint undertaking of the IPU and the European Parliament. Its principal objective is to enhance the external transparency of the WTO and make this intergovernmental organization accountable to legislators as the elected representatives of the people.

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Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU, the oldest multilateral political organisation, currently brings together 147 affiliated parliaments and seven regional assemblies as associate members. The world organisation of parliaments has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer at the United Nations.
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Contact for additional information or interviews:

Mrs. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer 5, ch. du Pommier, CH - 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex / Geneva Phone: +41 22 919 41 16 Fax: +41 22 919 41 60 E-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org or cbl@mail.ipu.org