Billy Timmins
Question:167 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if there is a tariff quota for non-EU grain imports; if so, the plans there are to change it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18600/02]
Written Answers. - Import Duties.
A number of tariff quotas for cereals were opened as part of the Uruguay round involving various types of cereals including high quality durum wheat, high quality common wheat, oats, maize, sorghum, millet, worked oats, malting barley, brans etc. from WTO countries. Arising from difficulties with the level of imports from eastern Europe, negotiations are at present under way between the EU and its WTO trading partners aimed at applying import quotas to cereal imports from all sources. I will be following progress in these negotiations, in particular in so far as they address the problems which such imports have had on EU cereals markets, including the Irish market.