WTO highlights the EU's role in promoting a development dimension

In its review of EU trade policy the WTO highlighted the EU's active support for a strong development focus in the Doha Development Round. The European Commission argues that its new approach to relations with the ACP is illustrative of its desire to promote the integration of ACP countries into the world economy. The Commission also claimed that in recent free trade area negotiations the EU has sought to move significantly beyond tariff liberalisation to include 'deep economic integration and progressive convergence of services, standards and technical regulations customs etc, with the aim of promoting regional integration and establishing a stronger and more transparent trade-policy regime.' The Commission maintains that multi-lateralism and regionalism are not mutually exclusive, but that 'regionalism does not offer an alternative to strengthening the multilateral trading system'.In its review of EU trade policy the WTO highlighted the EU's..