Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2006
40 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of Doha Round World Trade Organisation negotiations in so far as they relate to agriculture; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18876/06]
View answer69 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of the World Trade Organisation talks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18792/06]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 69 together.
The current negotiations on a new World Trade Agreement, which cover a broad trade liberalization agenda, have been under way since they were launched in Doha in November 2001 and further progress towards agreement was reached at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong in December 2005. The Conference reached agreement on a number of issues and set clear deadlines for the completion of the negotiations on agriculture. The end of April 2006 was set as the deadline for the completion of the modalities, or detailed provisions, of the new agreement and a further deadline of end July 2006 was set for the submission of schedules, or specific commitments, by all WTO member countries. Despite intensive negotiations, the end of April deadline has passed without agreement on modalities. The negotiations are now continuing with a view to reaching agreement by the end of July.
I am continuing to monitor closely the progress of the negotiations. The Commission negotiates on behalf of EU Member States on the basis of a mandate agreed in the Council of Ministers. My objective is to secure a balanced outcome across all sectors and between the different elements of the agriculture negotiations and to ensure that the final agreement on agriculture will not require further reform of the Common Agriculture Policy.
Market access is, for me, a key element of the negotiations and, in that context, in addition to tariff reductions and sensitive products issues, I will be seeking to ensure that non-trade concerns are fully taken on board. I fully support the policy that animal products imported into the EU from Third Countries meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, EU Member States. I have concerns that there is not real equivalence regarding animal traceability, controls on veterinary medicines, prohibited substances and residue monitoring programmes in respect of imports from certain third countries. I have already been in contact with the Commissioner on this matter on a number of occasions and I will continue to use every opportunity to voice my concerns. Indeed, I will be raising this matter again at next Monday's Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels.
