Vol. 517 No. 3
135 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if he will urge his EU colleagues to establish consultative mechanisms with farming organisations and other appropriate bodies in poor countries in view of measures which were promoted to remove trading barriers at the WTO talks in Seattle. [9950/00]
At the WTO ministerial conference in Seattle, the EU proposed that the WTO should enter into a commitment to ensure duty free market access no later than the end of the new round of negotiations for essentially all products exported by the least developed countries. The EU remains committed to that proposal which is contained in the negotiating mandate on agriculture which was adopted by the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers.
In the context of the future WTO negotiations on agriculture, while I would be open to consultative mechanisms with farming organisations and other appropriate bodies in the developing countries, communication with their own governments, who will participate in the WTO negotiations, would be the most appropriate mechanism in most cases.
