Martin Cullen
Question:33 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the progress, if any, made on EU external trade policy during Ireland's Presidency of the EU. [2505/97]
Written Answers. - EU Presidency.
During Ireland's Presidency, progress was made on EU external trade policy in the context of the inaugural Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation, transatlantic relations and relations between Europe and Asia.
One of our primary Presidency objectives was to ensure a strong EU contribution to the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation held in Singapore in December and to achieve an outcome reflecting the union's priority of consolidating and developing the multilateral trade system. This was achieved, with the EU playing a very active role in the process leading to the adoption of a ministerial declaration of the WTO. The declaration addresses the central issues relevant to the further strengthening of the multilateral trade system and sets out a work programme for the organisation. In addition, a ministerial declaration on trade in information technology products was adopted by a number of WTO Members including the European Union. This provides for the progressive elimination of customs duties on information technology products by the year 2000. The conference also gave a renewed impetus towards a successful conclusion on the negotiations on basic telecommunications in February 1997.
In relation to EU-US relations, significant progress was made on the new transatlantic agenda which was launched in Madrid in December 1995. Highlights include: the information technology agreement which, when finalised, promises to liberalise over $500 billion in trade annually; agreement in principle on a mutual recognition agreement on standards, with formal negotiations to be concluded by 31 January 1997; and initialling of a customs co-operation and mutual assistance agreement.
An EU/Canada Summit was held on 17 December 1996. One of the goals of the action plan and accompanying declaration signed on the occasion of the summit is the enhancement of bilateral trade flows between the two sides.
Significant progress was also made on Asia-Europe relations in the context of follow-up activities to the first Asia-Europe summit meeting — ASEM — and preparation for the ASEM ministerial meeting in Singapore in February 1997. From a trade perspective, the aim is to reinforce economic dialogue and co-operation between the two regions, with a particular emphasis on the facilitation and promotion of two-way trade and investment flows.