Most of EU backs WTO proposals as basis for talks: EU

GENEVA (Reuters) - A large majority of European Union countries backed the EU's executive Commission on Saturday to keep negotiating in world trade talks after new compromise proposals were floated, the bloc's farm chief said.

"A huge majority of member states supported the Commission ..., on the basis of the paper on the table, to continue negotiations," European Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel told reporters.

She was speaking after the Commission briefed EU government officials on the state of the World Trade Organization talks.

French Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Idrac said several EU countries, including France which has the presidency of the bloc, were concerned that the proposals were not balanced and needed to secure more access to markets in developing countries.

(Reporting by William Schomberg)