Bernard J. Durkan
Question:88 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current state of progress in the WTO; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18966/04]
View answerThursday, 24 June 2004
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Written answers
The operation of the European Unions common trade policy lies within the competence of the European Commission. In recent months the Commission has been to the forefront of efforts to re-launch the Doha Development Agenda negotiations, which were stalled following the failure of the World Trade Organisation Ministerial meeting in Cancun in September last year.
The most recent major initiative taken by the Commission was the issue on 9 May of a joint letter from Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler to all the other members of the World Trade Organisation. The letter sets out the key areas where the EU felt that movement was needed if the negotiations were to progress and also what the EU was prepared to propose in these particular areas.
The areas which were focused on in the letter included agriculture, non-agricultural market access, Singapore issues and development. Most particularly, in relation to agriculture, the EU indicated that it was prepared to negotiate on the elimination of EU export subsidies provided other WTO members reciprocated in relation to other forms of export competition — such as export credits, state trading entities and food aid — and provided that an overall balance could be achieved between and within the pillars on agriculture, including market access, domestic support and export subsidies.
In relation to the so-called Singapore issues — investment, competition, trade facilitation and Government procurement — the EU indicated that trade facilitation is the principal area in which it would wish to see negotiations launched at an early stage; it is prepared to leave the other areas for further consideration within the WTO.
A very significant element of the EU initiative related to the development aspect of the negotiations. The EU is now proposing that in so far as agriculture and non agricultural market access is concerned, the least developed countries and other weak or vulnerable developing countries in a similar situation should not have to open their markets beyond their existing commitments and should be able to benefit from increased market access offered by both developed and advanced developing countries.
There has been a mixed reaction to the EU initiative and intensive discussions are ongoing in Geneva in an attempt to agree a basis for the re-launch of negotiations. The hope is that an agreed framework can be put in place by the end of July.
The Irish Presidency of the EU has been actively involved in facilitating EU member state participation in the development of EU policy in this area. The Minister and officials of the Department are closely involved with the Commission in the efforts to put the negotiations back on track.