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Agricultural Trade Policy.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004

Tuesday, 27 April 2004

Questions (160)

Dan Boyle

Question:

217 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the Government’s response to the recommendations of the Comhlámh report Beyond Cancun — EU Agricultural Trade Policy and the Majority World. [11165/04]

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Written answers

The Comhlámh report gives a very detailed analysis of the debate on the needs of developing countries and of the implications for them of policy decisions taken at EU level. I am acutely aware of these needs. I am satisfied that the recent reform of the CAP will be of benefit to developing countries, including ACP countries. Decoupled payments will replace production-related supports, thereby reducing the potential distortion impact of production-related supports.

Trade with ACP countries is governed by the terms of the ACP-EU partnership which was signed in Cotonou in June 2000 under which the EU grants non-reciprocal trade preferences to imports from ACP countries. In September 2002, the ACP countries and the EU officially launched negotiations on a series of economic partnership agreements which will replace the existing arrangements with reciprocal agreements that are WTO compatible and which will retain an element of differential treatment for the ACP countries. These economic partnership agreements will cover trade in agricultural products. The current preferential trade regime has been extended pending completion of the negotiations.

Furthermore the EU has recently abolished tariffs and other such restrictions on all products from the 49 poorest countries on the planet — the least developed countries. This "Everything But Arms" initiative gives these countries immediate duty and quota free access to the EU market. This includes products such as beef, milk products, fruits and vegetables. A transitional period applies for rice, bananas and sugar, but full liberalisation will be in place by 2009.

The EU is also prepared to negotiate further special and differentiated treatment for developing countries under a new WTO round. In the context of these WTO talks, the EU is asking that other developed WTO partners provide similar concessions.

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