Vol. 524 No. 6
119 Ms Coughlan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the position on the preparations for the next World Trade Organisation round when substantive negotiations are expected to commence; the actions being taken to safeguard the interests of Irish agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23389/00]
The Ministerial Council of the World Trade Organisation, the successor to the GATT, failed to reach agreement on a negotiating framework for the launch of a comprehensive round of multilateral trade negotiations at its meeting in Seattle in December 1999. In accordance with Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture, which was concluded as part of the last round of multilateral trade negotiations under the GATT, further negotiations on agriculture were due to commence by end 1999, irrespective of whether a new comprehensive round of negotiations would be launched by then. Accordingly, negotiations on agriculture started in March 2000 under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation. The first phase of the negotiations is a preparatory one, during which WTO members are requested to submit negotiating proposals in preparation for the commencement of substantive negotiations in 2001.
The European Union participates in the WTO negotiations as a single entity with the EU Commission conducting the negotiations in accordance with a mandate adopted by the Council of Ministers. The EU negotiating mandate for agriculture was adopted by the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers on 27 September 1999 and endorsed subsequently by the General Affairs Council. The mandate primarily is based on the Agenda 2000 agreement decided by the European Council in Berlin in March 1999. The Council of Ministers is currently considering a paper prepared by the commission which will set out the EU's negotiating proposal. It is my intention to ensure that the interests of the Irish agriculture and food industries are fully protected in the council's preparations for the WTO negotiations and in the negotiations themselves.
Because of changes in the trading environment which may result from the WTO negotiations and from enlargement of the EU as well as factors such as changing consumer tastes, new food distribution channels and general technological developments, I established a group to make recommendations on the development of the Irish agriculture and food industries over the present decade. That group's report entitled Agri Food 2010 was completed earlier this year and I have approved and published a plan of action for the implementation of its recommendations. As a result, I expect that the agriculture and food industries will be well prepared to maximise their contribution to Irish wealth and employment and the development of rural areas over the next ten years.
