Vol. 506 No. 5
53 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding the trade dispute between the EU and the USA; the steps, if any, being taken to preserve the right of Irish firms to export goods to the US; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15850/99]
I presume that the Deputy is referring to the banana dispute. On 6 April 1999, a WTO panel ruled that the EU revised banana import regime is non-WTO compatible. The panel assessed the damage to US interests at $191 million, which is less than half the amount of sanctions threatened by the US. On 9 April, the US published a revised hit-list of European products to reflect the panel's findings, which would be subject to 100 per cent tariffs. Both my Department and I are continuing to monitor the impact of these sanctions on Irish exporters. Some products of importance to Irish exporters which featured on the US preliminary list, including greeting cards, chandeliers and pig meat, are no longer affected, and the sanctions now have no significant impact on Irish trade or employment. There are ongoing discussions within the EU and also between the EU Commission and the US, with a view to resolving the dispute. Ireland is very active in these discussions. We support a WTO compatible resolution of the dispute.
