EU's Barroso wants concrete results from G8 summit
- Source: Xinhua
- [15:25 July 07 2009]
- Comments
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says he wants concrete results from this week's Group of Eight summit in L'Aquila, Italy.
He said the L'Aquila agenda represents the world's major challenges -- climate change and energy security, world trade and financial reform, development and food security.
On climate change, Barroso said the European Union will insist on respect for the target of limiting global warming to less than two degrees Celsius than pre-industrial levels. The EU will also reiterate the need for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels.
To achieve these goals, the developed countries must reduce their emissions by at least 80 percent, Barroso said.
The developed countries must take the lead while emerging economies will have to join in the global efforts under the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," he said.
"We should not forget that we are only 153 days away from (the UN climate change conference in) Copenhagen," he said.
On world trade, Barroso asked for the conclusion of the Doha round of negotiations under the World Trade Organization by 2010.
On financial regulation, Barroso asked the G8 leaders to reaffirm the commitments made at the Group of 20 summits in Washington and London, to review the progress in implementation and to advance preparations for the next G20 summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in September.
Barroso said, however, that the EU is not ready for single representation at the International Monetary Fund and other international institutions. He said a coherent approach by EU members in those institutions is more important than more voting rights.
"Are they ready to have a more structured, more coherent representation in those fora? I think probably yes," he said.
Barroso will represent the EU at the L'Aquila summit. EU member states Britain, France, Germany and Italy are G8 members.