Europe will see if it can adjust its offer on farm trade to meet demands of trading partners at key World Trade Organization (WTO) talks next week, Europe's trade chief said today.
"We will be prepared to discuss the EU's offer . . . to flesh it out and answer questions, to listen to points of view and to see whether these can be accommodated," EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said before the December 13-18 talks in Hong Kong.
However, the European Union would not make a new offer on farm trade as it would not be supported by member states in the 25-nation bloc, he told a news conference.
Countries such as Brazil, the United States and Australia have accused the EU of seeking to protect its farmers too much with its offer on agriculture, putting the entire WTO round at risk.
The EU, which is under pressure from member states led by France not to give away anything more on agriculture, has demanded concessions from partners in other areas.
Mr Mandelson dismissed a suggestion made last weekend by Brazil that it was ready to cut its tariffs on industrial goods. "Being willing to do so is not the same as doing so," he said.