Vol. 566 No. 2
8 Dr. Upton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will present the Irish negotiating position for the forthcoming WTO ministerial conference to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business; her views on moves to widen the conference agenda; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12293/03]
19 Dr. Upton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has met representatives of the Trade Justice Cam paign in advance of finalising a common EU position for the next WTO ministerial conference to be held in September 2003; if she has considered the submissions of the constituent organisations in the Trade Justice Campaign; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12294/03]
39 Mr. Cuffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will report to Dáil Éireann on the individual positions that Ireland took in the negotiations that led to the setting of the European Union negotiating position in the upcoming world trade negotiations in Cancun with particular regard to where the Irish position differed from the finalised EU position. [12366/03]
58 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she intends to present a report to Dáil Éireann for debate on the upcoming world trade negotiations in Cancun. [12365/03]
60 Mr. Boyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on whether the future for world trade negotiations should be based on the development of the concept of trade justice rather than a narrower focus on free trade between countries; her further views on whether employment and environmental safeguards can be best included as conditions within international trade contracts; and the international institution she views as being able best to enforce and regulate such employment and environmental conditions. [12369/03]
61 Mr. Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when a common EU position will be agreed on the forthcoming WTO ministerial conference to take place in September 2003 in Cancun, Mexico; if the Irish position on each of the agenda items will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12292/03]
71 Mr. Gogarty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way in which, in view of the widespread concerns that developing countries will not have the negotiating ability to deal with the proposed widening of the WTO trade negotiations to include the four areas of investment, Government procurement, competition and trade facilitation, the Government can justify its stated policy of including these four new Singapore issues in the upcoming WTO negotiations; and her views on whether including these four areas in the WTO remit could restrict developing countries from using their natural comparative advantages in their economic development strategy. [12367/03]
89 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the need for the WTO not to be given additional powers and on the need for trade pol icy to promote reduction in poverty worldwide as well as here; and the Government policy in regard to these matters before the next round of WTO negotiations. [12558/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 19, 39, 58, 60, 61, 71 and 89 together.
The current round of multilateral trade negotiations, the Doha development agenda, was launched at the WTO ministerial meeting in Qatar in November 2001 when it was agreed that the negotiations would be concluded by the end of 2004 and that progress would be reviewed at the next WTO ministerial meeting, scheduled for Cancun, Mexico in September this year.
The negotiations have been ongoing in Geneva for the past one and a half years. Progress has been slow and it has not been possible, so far, to meet a number of the deadlines set for the various phases of the negotiations. It is important, therefore, that the upcoming Cancun ministerial meeting provides a political impetus as the time left for reaching agreement is relatively short. Ireland has participated in the negotiations as a member of the EU team. Our priority has been and is to see the process of trade liberalisation continue in a fair and balanced way and the WTO continue to provide a stable and consistent framework for the regulation of world trade.
Central to our approach and that of the European Union is a commitment to respond positively in the negotiations to the concerns of developing countries. This is an essential part of the Doha agenda. It is very clear we will not have any agreement unless we can show clearly to developing countries that they are being treated fairly. All of the various proposals made by the European Union so far have reflected this and we support the continuation of this approach. This is important in terms of access to world markets for the exports of developing countries, special treatment for developing countries in the implementation of trade regulations and support for their full participation in the operation of the WTO.
Among the issues under negotiation are agriculture, services and the so-called Singapore issues. On agriculture, the European Union, in line with the Doha declaration, wants improved market access for all, lower trade distorting subsidies, reductions in all forms of export aid, full consideration of non-trade issues such as food safety and the environment and preferential targeted treatment for developing countries. The Union has submitted proposals to achieve these goals. On services, it is concerned to get greater market access and open up trade in services to foreign providers. The development of a skilled, high value-added service sector is now a central feature of Irish enterprise policy. Ireland, therefore, has a strong interest in opening markets worldwide to international trade in services and fully supports EU proposals in that regard. Another important issue in the services negotiations is to have regard to the development dimension, not to undermine developing countries' ability to grow their own service sectors.
The so-called Singapore issues are of particular interest to the European Union in these negotiations, given their importance for international trade. The Union has proposed that trade rules covering these elements be developed. In recognition of concerns about developing countries' ability to deal with negotiations on these subjects, it has proposed very modest targets, fully taking into account the essential requirement that developing countries economic development policies be respected. Employment and environmental safeguards are very important in the context of international trade and are regarded as such by the European Union. We have supported its efforts to develop and improve coherence and co-operation between the WTO and the ILO and also between the WTO and the various multinational environmental agreements. We will continue to support proposals in this area.
As I said, the negotiations cover a wide range of trade issues. Comprehensive co-ordination is necessary in order to fully reflect Irish interests in all EU proposals. My Department consults on an ongoing basis with other Departments, State agencies and sectoral interests, including business and NGOs. In this regard, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ahern, met representatives of the trade matters group of NGOs on 9 April for a discussion on their submission on the Doha negotiations. I understand the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business will discuss these issues at its meeting on 11 June, at which my Department officials will be in attendance. At a time of global economic uncertainty, progress in the Doha round can make a much needed contribution to confidence. Agreement in these negotiations is vitally important in order to develop the type of international regulatory landscape in which our economic development can continue.
Will the Irish negotiating position be presented to the joint committee? That discussion, which I requested, was scheduled for 11 June. Will the Tánaiste attend the committee meeting on that date, if she is available, or an alternative date in order that the committee can have an input to Ireland's position? Second, does the Tánaiste agree that previous world trade agreements have disadvantaged developing countries and caused additional poverty and marginalisation, rather than alleviating it? Does Ireland have, as a specific part of its negotiating position, the rebalancing of world trade matters to ensure developing countries are treated fairly? In the commitments made in Rio there was to be a shift in support of technology to developing countries to enable them to develop their economies and reach ODA targets. Ireland should be exemplary in this regard, encouraging our EU partners to set an equitable balance to ensure the poor do not suffer in the context of whatever conclusions emerge from Cancun.
I certainly agree that past trade rounds have disadvantaged some of the world's countries. Ireland was one of the first countries to agree to place resources in the development assistance fund to provide developing countries with the technical expertise they need to participate effectively in these negotiations. As the Deputy is aware, our position is one of consensus at European level within a single organisational framework. That is the most effective position for Ireland and Europe.
I understand the Minister of State at my Department, Deputy Ahern, has been to the joint committee. I agree that the position being adopted should be discussed fully at the committee and will ensure that happens. The Government will be represented at the Cancun meeting by the Minister for Agriculture and Food and Ministers of State, Deputies Michael Ahern and Tom Kitt. I consider it appropriate that the Government representatives should make themselves available to the relevant Oireachtas committee to discuss the ongoing issues in relation to Ireland's participation and the view being taken.
Will an Irish position paper be available in advance?
What we will have is an EU position paper.
Will Ireland's position paper be included in the joint EU position?
Yes, and I will see that it is made available.
When that paper becomes available, will we go beyond having a debate on Committee Stage to actually having a debate in the House? This issue has major implications for the farming community because much of our agricultural future will be decided in September at the Cancun meeting. Likewise, in discussing unemployment, including the loss of manufacturing jobs, World Trade Organisation rules will determine the speed and nature of such developments.
There are so many areas, other that those dealt with by the Joint or Select Committees on Enterprise and Small Business, in which Deputies have a keen interest in our position. The Tánaiste should, therefore, consider an open debate in the House to deal with a range of areas, including foreign affairs, trade, globalisation and agriculture.
The purpose of Question Time is to elicit information from the Minister.
Will the Tánaiste lobby the Government Chief Whip so that time may be set aside for such a debate in the House?
With respect to the Ceann Comhairle, on each occasion I rise to speak I find myself immediately being restricted in terms of what I can say.
Unfortunately, the Standing Order restricts the Deputy to asking questions.
I asked one question, but I needed to outline why exactly I was posing it.
There is no such provision under Standing Orders. Unfortunately, Question Time is limited to six minutes per question and other Members may wish to submit supplementaries.
I would like to finish my question briefly because I tabled four oral questions in this regard. The Tánaiste said that the WTO negotiations take into account ILO and other multilateral environmental regulations. Would she agree the problem is that the ILO regulations and other environmental conditions have no legal, statutory or other basis, whereas the WTO trade negotiations do? We are developing a world with strong trade rules, but no such employment or environmental rules. In those circumstances, would the Tánaiste agree that world trade is now characterised as a race to the bottom, whereby manufacturers operate in countries with the least employment and environmental rules? That is the core problem with the WTO at present, but it is not being addressed by either the EU or the Government.
The Deputy's minute has concluded.
I will have to leave those questions and try to return to them later, if possible.
As regards having a debate on the position Ireland will be adopting, given the technical nature of the issues involved, we could have a more meaningful debate in committee. However, I am not ruling out the possibility of having a debate here on some of the aspects, if it is agreed by the House. The most important thing is that we should have an agreement. I do not subscribe to the view that any agreement will do but, given the uncertainty in the world at present, if we do not succeed by the end of 2004 or by January 2005, it will be a dreadful indictment of our capacity to work through the multilateral system. Coming after the most recent experience, that would be very damaging for international confidence.
I do not accept that companies move to where the lowest standards exist. Companies operate where it is competitive for them to do so. We operate in a globalised economy and production tends to take place wherever it is competitive for companies. Companies are increasingly concerned about their global reputation. Labour standards form an important part of companies' reputations, even where those standards are not enforced on a legal, statutory basis.
The Tánaiste's minute has concluded. Does Deputy Eamon Ryan wish to contribute?
I have one further supplementary on this issue. The French have suggested that a moratorium should be placed on export subsidies to sub-Saharan countries until the completion of the Doha round agreement. Would the Tánaiste favour such a moratorium, given that our partners, the French – with whom we tend to take many common positions – have already proposed it?
Not in recent times.
On some issues we share the views of the French and on others we do not. The Irish and French have adopted the same position on agricultural matters due to matters of national interest. However, we are living in an environment where there will be an increasing liberalisation of trade from which the overall economy here will benefit. It is something to which I strongly subscribe.
