Pressure mounts on Aust and NZ over export monopolies

HONG KONG - Pressure is growing on Australia and New Zealand to give up the special export monopoly of its wheat and dairy companies as world trade talks hit a critical stage.

The European Union has singled out Australia and New Zealand, with Canada, and their export monopoly companies as crucial to getting a wider deal on agriculture at the World Trade Organisation negotiations in Hong Kong.

But the three nations are resisting Europe's demands, arguing the EU has yet to prove its case that the monopolies are another form of export subsidy or distort world trading markets.

At the halfway point of the Hong Kong talks, there has been little movement on the key area of agriculture, with Europe still resisting demands from nations such as New Zealand and Australia to do more to open its protected farm markets to competition.

Europe in turn is demanding major developing exporters such as Brazil, India and China do much more in terms of offering access in the industrial good and services sectors.

The United States has conceded one point, agreeing to give four west African nations duty free access to the rich but heavily subsidised American cotton market.

Negotiators have been talking around the clock since Tuesday, but little headway has been made.

The talks are due to conclude on Sunday.

- AAP