The European Union applauded Japan?s plan to provide $10 billion in trade aid to poor nations over the next three years. E.U. Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said he welcomed Tokyo?s "change of policy on … and commitment to duty and quota-free access for [less-developed countries]." The bloc currently provides duty-free and quota-free market access to developing states under its "everything but arms" policy and has been campaigning for member economies of the World Trade Organization to offer the same privilege to these countries. (Source: EU trade chief commends Japan's development aid before WTO talks/Kyodo News)