The minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Stefan-Radu Oprea, led the Romanian delegation to the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), organized in Brussels on November 27, 2023.According to a press release from the relevant ministry, the discussions concerned the preparation of the 13th Ministerial Conference (CM13) of the World Trade Organization (February 26-29, 2024, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates), the preparation of the signing of the EU Interim Trade Agreement - Chile and the state of trade relations between the EU and the USA. The European Commission's Report on the implementation and enforcement of EU trade policy was also presented.During the working lunch, the ongoing commercial negotiations were discussed, respectively the agreements already negotiated, but not yet concluded (such as those with Australia and Mercosur), the press release states.Minister Oprea emphasized the importance of the process of reform and modernization of the World Trade Organization, by promoting the objectives of the EU within CM13, with an emphasis on the restoration of the Body for the Settlement of Disputes, the extension of the application of the multilateral moratorium on customs duties applicable to electronic transmissions and the initiation of a work program aiming at the deliberative function of the organization to ensure a fair competitive framework. In the context of expressing support for the signing during the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council of the EU-Chile Interim Trade Agreement, he also highlighted the importance of the ratification by all EU member states of the trade and investment agreements already signed, such as the one in relation to Vietnam signed in the last day of the Romanian Presidency at the EU Council.Considering the importance of transatlantic relations for Romania, the Romanian official supported the development of a positive commercial agenda within the EU-US Trade and Technology Council, with the objective of facilitating transatlantic trade and investments.He also advocated for the completion of the negotiations of the Agreement on Critical Minerals and the Global Agreement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GSA), the latter being essential for the steel industry. In the absence of the GSA, in order to maintain a constructive framework for the continuation of the negotiations, he supported avoiding the reimposition of the 232 measures by the USA, respectively those of the rebalancing of the EU, but by improving the administration system of the tariff quotas applied by the American side to steel imports and EU aluminum.The Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) brings together the ministers responsible for international trade from the EU member states, representing the highest decision-making body at the European level in this field. (Photo:https://economie.gov.ro/)
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