The European Union insisted today a global trade deal must be reworked to take more account of its interests and urged the United States to do more to match its offers in the farm reform area.
The statements came after a trial of strength between European Trade Commissioner Mr Pascal Lamy, the bloc's chief negotiator, and several member states led by France, which been most outspoken in objecting to a draft trade deal.
"The Council (of ministers) confirmed the Union's commitment for an agreement on a balanced framework on future DDA (trade) negotiations," a ministerial statement said after EU foreign and trade ministers met.
They also endorsed the approach adopted by Mr Lamy but said there was a need "to improve the balance" of the draft accord being negoiated at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Mr Lamy told a news conference the EU was in particular looking for more concessions from the United States, its number one trade partner, in the area of farm reform.
The EU has offered to end agricultural export subsidies and wants the United States to make similar offers.
Mr Lamy also said the EU's offer in the trade talks would not go beyond measures already agreed in a wide-ranging reform of the bloc's €40 billion ($48.6 billion) farm support policy.
France, the biggest beneficiary of EU farm policy, had been most insistent in trying to pressure Mr Lamy not to give too much away in the talks, diplomats said.
But the ministerial statement avoided any mention of specific negotiating limits being put on the commissioner.