The Foreign Affairs (Trade) Council meeting ended on 16 of March with the agreement of promoting a multilateral agenda for trade and development besides providing improved market access for developing countries, working towards sustainable development through a green economy, and developing more focused, targeted and coordinated Aid for Trade.

European Trade Ministers held a Council meeting on 16 of March in which they welcomed the Commission’s communication on “Trade, Growth and Development: Tailoring trade and investment policy for those countries most in need”. In this context, they stresses that openness to international trade accompanied by adequate domestic policies and institutional reforms is key to sustaining inclusive growth and poverty reduction in developing countries, just as keeping its markets open is key to Europe’s economic growth and welfare. For instance, in June 2011, the Commission launched a consultation on access to EU's public procurement markets with such goal.

The Council is therefore committed to promote a multilateral agenda for trade and development, which preserves and enhances the multilateral trading system at the core of EU’s trade. Ministers also agreed to improve market access for developing countries by, among other measures, emphasizing the importance of the early adoption of a new GSP regulation in order to allow all economic operators sufficient time to adapt to its entry into force no later than by 1 January 2014.

Additionally, the Council supports the expeditious elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers on goods and services that can deliver environmental benefits and support improved access to green technology, also for developing countries in order to work towards sustainable development through a green economy. Ministers also calls on the Commission and Member States to better coordinate their aid for trade, and to align it behind the development strategies of partner countries, supporting efforts to integrate the inclusive and sustainable growth dimension in these strategies, keeping in mind the importance of capacity building.