QATAR: ACP countries get unopposed go-ahead to apply to renew banana export privileges

Major banana producer Ecuador has agreed not to oppose a request from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries that their export privileges to the EU are renewed.   The current round of trade talks at the WTO ministerial conference in Qatar faced potential disruption over the banana issue. A group of banana exporting countries from Central American had threatened to challenge the renewal of the exemption, which enables ACP nations to benefit from preferential treatment by the EU.