Vol. 536 No. 3
122 Mr. Moloney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the stance put forward for negotiations by the Government in the World Trade Organisation talks and in relation to securing the gains achieved in Agenda 2000; the progress achieved to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14051/01]
Negotiations on agriculture started in March 2000 under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation. The period up to March 2001 provided for the submission of position papers, analysis and debate on issues raised by member countries. Following a "stocktaking" exercise in March 2001, the WTO agreed a work programme for a further year, based on examining issues and options raised in the submissions to date by the WTO member countries.
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 is based primarily on the Agenda 2000 agreement decided by the European Council in Berlin in March 1999. At its meeting on 21 November 2000, the Council of Agriculture Ministers approved a comprehensive negotiating proposal, based on the mandate already agreed, which was then forwarded to Geneva as one of the European Union proposals. I am satisfied that this negotiating proposal provides a satisfactory framework for protecting the interests of the Irish agriculture and food industries and it is my intention to ensure that these interests will be fully protected as the negotiations progress.
