asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if Ireland shall, during the transitional period after entry to EEC, enjoy any advantage over the other eight members in respect of agricultural exports to the British market; and, if so, in respect of which products.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Exports to Britain.
75.
Our preferential advantages in the British market for most agricultural products will disappear during the transitional period. The time at which these advantages will disappear will depend on the arrangements for the individual products many of the details of which will have to be worked out during 1972, in consultation with the Community. A compensatory amount system to offset national price differences will apply within the enlarged Community during the transitional period to the main products, namely, fat cattle and beef, dairy products, pigmeat, poultry and eggs, cereals and sugar and this will tend to neutralise our preferential position in the British market as the compensatory amounts will offset the declining differences in prices.
The British deficiency payments system will be phased out gradually and over the phasing-out period Irish store cattle and sheep will continue to benefit from this system. In the case of most other products, for example, horticultural products, there will continue to be preferences in our favour until the duties on these products are finally eliminated. I should add that in connection with the arrangements I have outlined it has been agreed in the negotiations that the implementation of the transitional measures should not result in any diminution in the degree of freedom of trade already existing between the United Kingdom and Ireland as a result of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement.