The importance that France attributed to the 18 October 2005 talks in Luxembourg is clear from the make-up of the country's delegation, which included no less than four ministers: Philippe Douste-Blazy (foreign affairs), Dominique Bussereau (agriculture), Catherine Colonna (European affairs) and Christine Lagarde (External Trade). Although France managed to win the support of Spain, Poland, Ireland, Greece, Portugal and other EU countries, there was an insufficient majority to limit Mr. Mandelson's negotiating mandate. In addition to the proposal, France proposed setting up a technical committee on farm aid, which could have become a permanent blocking factor for the reform of the EU's agricultural policy. From the Council's decisions:
- The Council recalled that its conclusions from October 1999 to July 2005 remain valid and together constitute the Commission's mandate for the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations. The Council recalled as regards the negotiations in agriculture that the CAP reform is Europe's important contribution to the DDA and constitutes the limits for the Commission's negotiating brief in the WTO Round.
- The Council underlined its support for Commission efforts to secure an outcome in line with the mandate. In that context, it welcomed the Commission’s commitment to continue those efforts and to strengthen the mechanisms to ensure that the Council is fully informed, on a regular and systematic basis, of developments in the negotiations. This process would include explanations to the Council, confirming that the Commission's action remained within the mandate, including, as necessary, the use of technical analysis.
- The Council reconfirmed the importance of achieving a balanced outcome within and across all of the main elements of the Doha Work Programme, and its commitment to a successful result based on a broad and ambitious agenda with a specific focus on the needs and interests of developing countries. The Council underlined that all WTO partners need to make contributions to those negotiations, commensurate with their level of development.
- In the light of the significance of these issues and, in the run-up to the Conference in Hong Kong of 13-18 December, the Council agreed to revert to the matter at its forthcoming meetings, and to meet as appropriate during the Conference itself in order to provide the Commission with any further necessary guidance.