Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva blasted wealthy nations for their punitive agricultural tariffs and urged them on Sunday to “stop your hypocrisy” and start buying Brazilian biofuel.
“We have said that if we want to achieve success in the Doha Round, then rich countries must lower their agricultural tariffs for poor countries’ products entering their markets,” Lula told Correio do Brasil newspaper in an interview.
“So, stop your hypocrisy and start buying biofuels,” he said.
The WTO’s Doha round of talks to reduce trade barriers was launched in the Qatari capital in 2001 with the aim of reaching a deal by 2004, but has foundered ever since, principally in disputes between developed and developing countries on agricultural subsidies and industrial tariffs.
Lula also said it was “inconceivable” that wealthy nations had tried to pin the blame on biofuels for the explosive rise in global food prices, which have led to violent riots in some poor countries.
Sugar-based fuel produced in Brazil is being fingered for causing global price surges — an accusation fiercely rejected by Lula.
Brazil is the world’s second largest ethanol producer, after the US whose ethanol is corn-based.
“The world does not produce biofuels and has 800 million people who go to sleep hungry,” he said.
“Those who criticize biofuels have never criticized the price of oil. The developed world imports oil with no tariffs, yet they place an absurd tariff on Brazilian ethanol,” Lula said.
Lula said such a situation exists because Brazil’s role in international trade has steadily transformed from minor role to major player.
“We are the largest exporter of coffee, orange juice, soy and beef,” he said. “We can no longer accept the argument that rich countries want to impose on us.”
Lula recognized that the market for sugar-based ethanol would surge if there were greater public support for the production of fuel from biological materials.
In the Brazilian biofuel industry, companies which produce agro-based fuels enjoy major tax breaks.
French lawmakers visiting Brazil last week said they were impressed with the country’s biofuel industry, but warned that Europe would have to balance that model against the need to guarantee food supplies.
Former French economy minister and trip leader Jean Arthius warned in Sao Paulo that taxes on biofuels could be one form of regulation, with the need “to ensure food security” remaining a vital concern.
MORE VISITORS: The Tourism Administration said that it is seeing positive prospects in its efforts to expand the tourism market in North America and Europe Taiwan has been ranked as the cheapest place in the world to travel to this year, based on a list recommended by NerdWallet. The San Francisco-based personal finance company said that Taiwan topped the list of 16 nations it chose for budget travelers because US tourists do not need visas and travelers can easily have a good meal for less than US$10. A bus ride in Taipei costs just under US$0.50, while subway rides start at US$0.60, the firm said, adding that public transportation in Taiwan is easy to navigate. The firm also called Taiwan a “food lover’s paradise,” citing inexpensive breakfast stalls
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
CROSS-STRAIT: The vast majority of Taiwanese support maintaining the ‘status quo,’ while concern is rising about Beijing’s influence operations More than eight out of 10 Taiwanese reject Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework for cross-strait relations, according to a survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday. The MAC’s latest quarterly survey found that 84.4 percent of respondents opposed Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula for handling cross-strait relations — a figure consistent with past polling. Over the past three years, opposition to the framework has remained high, ranging from a low of 83.6 percent in April 2023 to a peak of 89.6 percent in April last year. In the most recent poll, 82.5 percent also rejected China’s
PLUGGING HOLES: The amendments would bring the legislation in line with systems found in other countries such as Japan and the US, Legislator Chen Kuan-ting said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) has proposed amending national security legislation amid a spate of espionage cases. Potential gaps in security vetting procedures for personnel with access to sensitive information prompted him to propose the amendments, which would introduce changes to Article 14 of the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法), Chen said yesterday. The proposal, which aims to enhance interagency vetting procedures and reduce the risk of classified information leaks, would establish a comprehensive security clearance system in Taiwan, he said. The amendment would require character and loyalty checks for civil servants and intelligence personnel prior to
RSS