Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Jan 1996

Vol. 460 No. 3

Written Answers. - International Agreements.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

497 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the international agreements under the auspices of his Department which, as of 1 January 1996, have been signed by the State but have not been ratified; the international organisation, if any, responsible for the agreement in each case; the date and place each agreement was adopted or opened for signature; the date it was signed by the State; whether it is proposed to ratify each agreement; and, if so, when. [19451/96]

Minister for Tourism and Trade (Mr. E. Kenny)

The International Natural Rubber Agreement, 1995, was signed by Ireland, subject to ratification, on 22 December 1995. The agreement was negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and was concluded following negotiations in Geneva in February 1995. The agreement was open for signature at UN headquarters, in New York, from 3 April 1995 until 28 December 1995. It is planned to ratify the agreement in 1996 subject to Dáil approval of its terms.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

498 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the international agreements under the auspices of his Department which, as of 1 January 1996, have not been signed by the State and which it is proposed that the State should sign or become a party to; the international organisation, if any, responsible for the agreement in each case: the date and place each agreement was adopted or opened for signature; and when it is proposed to sign each agreement or become a party to it. [19466/96]

Minister for Tourism and Trade (Mr. E. Kenny)

Under the General Agreement on Trade in Services, negotiations on the market access arrangements to apply to financial services and to the movement of natural persons were completed in July 1995. The results are subject to ratification in the period up to 30 June 1996 and would come into effect immediately thereafter. The organisation responsible for the agreement is the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Schedules containing the commitments to be taken on by the European Communities and their member states were submitted to the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland, in July 1995. The European Commission is expected to make a proposal to the EU Council of Ministers on ratification in the next few weeks. The ratification procedure in member states, including Ireland, will be carried out in tandem with the EU procedure.