In the new round of global trade negotiations starting in 2000 under the auspices of the World Trade Organization, the United States will call for total elimination of agricultural tariffs and subsidies on farm products and exports, U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky said Thursday.
Calling agriculture a "very important area" for the U.S., Barshefsky told a Tokyo audience that Washington's goals for the new round are the complete elimination of agricultural export subsidies, elimination of all agricultural tariffs and review of the domestic subsidies and rules concerning agricultural biotechnology.
Barshefsky said the U.S. seeks a "broad-based" round in order to address key priorities of agriculture and services, but criticized the European Union for advocating a completely open agenda that may include any issue that any country wishes to raise.