Business calls on the G8 leaders to set aside disagreements over Iraq and work together

The business delegation told French president Jacques Chirac that Doha deadlines must be kept

Paris, 20 May 2003 - President Jacques Chirac of France, who will host the G8 meeting in Evian on 1-3 June, received the Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, the French businessman Jean-René Fourtou, who was accompanied by his predecessors, Richard D. McCormick of the United States and Adnan Kassar of Lebanon, together with Yong Sung Park, of Korea, who is Vice-Chairman of ICC.

They handed the President of the French Republic an appeal to the leaders of the G8 to use their upcoming meeting to intensify international economic cooperation and revive global economic growth.

Also present at the meeting were the Chairman of ICC France, François de Laage de Meux and ICC Secretary General Maria Livanos Cattaui.

The ICC statement said: "Our key message, now that the war in Iraq is over, is to urge governments to put their divisions behind them and commit themselves to renewed multilateral cooperation for the vital purposes of rebuilding business and consumer confidence and reinvigorating a weak global economy."

The main focus of the ICC statement was on the need for a successful conclusion of the Doha Round of negotiations on trade liberalization by the end of 2004, as scheduled. ICC urged the G8 governments to ensure that the ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization in Cancún, Mexico, in September reached final agreement on a negotiating agenda.

ICC said business was concerned that progress so far in the negotiations had not been sufficiently fast and substantial.

Emerging from the meeting, Mr Fourtou told waiting journalists he was impressed with President Chirac's grasp of the finer details of the Doha negotiation process and pleased with his commitment to a process of multilateral cooperation to achieve a successful trade round.

"We told President Chirac that the world business community is looking for strong leadership at the upcoming G8 meeting in Evian," Mr Fourtou said. "Businesses all over the world are anxious that a succesful completion of the Doha trade negotiations is at the forefront of the Evian agenda."

He added that President Chirac was particularly interested in the issue of intellectual property and the importance to companies of IP protection.

"We talked at length about the growing threat posed by piracy and counterfeiting - an issue which is beginning to affect more and more industries - from food producers to pharmaceutical companies," Mr Fourtou said.

Responding to a question about whether Franco-American relations were discussed in the Chirac meeting, Mr Fourtou said: "Our delegation is made up of leading business people from Europe, the US, Middle East and Asia - all of whom have travelled to Paris for this meeting. In the business world, if not in the political world, it is business as usual."

In a reference to Doha and missed deadlines on farm trade, implementation issues for developing countries, and the supply of medicines to poor countries, the ICC statement said meeting deadlines was important in maintaining confidence in the negotiating process.

Keeping to deadlines sent a signal to investors, traders and consumers that "in the face of geopolitical volatility and a fragile world economy, governments from all continents are able to work together to strengthen trade and investment links between nations", the statement said.

Appealing directly to the G8 leaders, the statement added: "We look to them to send a clear message and to give strong political backing, at the highest level, to negotiations that will lead to a successful conclusion of the trade agenda outlined in the Doha minister ial declaration."

The ICC statement called on the G8 to:

• uphold the voluntary nature of corporate responsibility initiatives
• promote an agreed international approach to health and safety standards and regulatory requirements
• work with business to ensure that security measures are cost-effective and pose minimum hindrance to international trade.

ICC has thousands of member companies and business associations in more than 130 countries.

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Many of the issues raised at the ICC leadership meeting with President Chirac will be taken up at the 35th ICC World Congress in Marrakesh on 6- 9 June 2004. The Congress theme is: "Business and development: Succeeding in a tougher world".

The International Chamber of Commerce
ICC is the world business organization, the only representative body that speaks with authority on behalf of enterprises from all sectors in every part of the world.
ICC promotes an open international trade and investment system and the market economy. Its conviction that trade is a powerful force for peace and prosperity dates from the organization's origins early in the 20th century. The small group of far-sighted business leaders who founded ICC called themselves "the merchants of peace".

ICC statement: Business and the Global Economy
French version

English version (pdf)
French version (pdf)

French version of press release

Greek version of press release

Ukranian version of press release

Russian version of press release

Turkish version of press release and statement