New world trade agreement has “no chance” without global agreement on ethanol: Brazil’s foreign minister

At the Doha Round of world trade talks, Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim was reported to have characterized that the imperiled world trade agreement had “no chance” of being finalized without the inclusion of an agreement on the ethanol trade. Brazil, which received an offer from Europe of  1.4 million tons in ethanol imports based on a 10 percent tariff, has been seeking more access to European and US markets for its low-cost sugarcane ethanol.

Click here for a full background report on biofuels and the Doha round of WTO negotiations

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Brazil on verge of WTO complaint against US over ethanol tariffs

Brazil is readying its challenge of US ethanol tariffs at the Wolrd Trade Organization. The 54-cent tariff is said by the Brazilians to be an illegal tariff under WTO rules. Unica has been working wit...

Financial crisis imperils climate deal, say experts

Climate change experts and policy negotiators are concerned that the global financial crisis will dim prospects for a world trade agreement and a new climate change treaty. Elliot Diringer, a director...

American Sugar Alliance says conversion of foreign sugar to ethanol will prevent sugar glut, as new NAFTA rules open US markets to low-cost Mexican sugar

An executive with the American Sugar Alliance said that increased imports of sugar into the US from Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement will not affect the domestic sugar producers be...

Brazil, US sign research, finance agreements on cellulosic biofuels, regional biofuels support

In Brazil, the U.S. National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) and Petrobras' Center for Research and Development (CENPES) announced an agreement to collaborate on research for cellulosic biofuels. The US S...

Brazil, Netherlands sign sustainable biofuels agreement

In the Netherlands, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed an agreement with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende for cooperation on the sustainable development of biofuels....

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister calls for closer ASEAN-Mercosur biofuels cooperation

In Malaysia, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim called on his countrymen to work closely via joint ventures with Mercosur members (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguary, Paraguay and Venezuela) to develop t...