EU's WTO offers must be matched by partners-Sarkozy

PARIS, July 11 (Reuters) French President Nicolas Sarkozy told his Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier today to ensure that European Union concessions in global trade talks were met by equivalent efforts by the bloc's partners.

Talks between the United States, the European Union, India and Brazil to try to reach a deal on the Doha round of trade talks collapsed last month over a dispute about trade-distorting farm policies.

France has said it will not permit the round to undermine its agricultural sector and has warned the European Commission, which negotiates on behalf of the bloc, against making any further concessions on agriculture in trade talks.

''You will ensure that the efforts agreed to by the European Union in the framework of the WTO (Word Trade Organisation) negotiations are compatible with our objectives on agricultural matters, and compensated for by efforts on a strictly equivalent level by our partners,'' Sarkozy said in a letter to Barnier.

''No-one should have to doubt our determination to support our agriculture and fishery,'' Sarkozy said.

Turning to the European Union's common agricultural policy (CAP), Sarkozy said France should develop ''constructive proposals serving our interests and those of the Union'' for upcoming negotiations about the future of the policy.

''The stake of the new CAP, which will be put in place from 2014, is to preserve the food independence of the European Union, and the role of agriculture in regional development, while allowing our farmers to live directly from their work.'' REUTERS SBC PM2143