asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will give an outline of the positions taken by the various major parties in the current round of GATT negotiations and if he anticipates that these negotiations will lead to any major changes in trade policy affecting Ireland, particularly in regard to agriculture.
Written Answers. - GATT Negotiations.
174.
The evolution of the GATT negotiations, and the positions of the major parties, are detailed in the reports made to the Houses of the Oireachtas on Developments in the European Communities. These reports are made twice yearly and I understand that the report covering the period from January to June 1988 will be presented shortly.
As the Deputy is aware, a mid-term ministerial review of the negotiations will take place in December, at which Ireland will of course be represented. I have already indicated my intention to report to the House on progress at that stage.
As we are only mid-way through the Uruguay Round negotiations it would be premature to predict major changes in trade policy affecting Ireland. There is at present, considerable divergence between the positions of major parties. This is particularly true in relation to agricultural trade, where the US and Cairns Group (including Australia and New Zealand) have put forward policies of subsidy elimination, while the EC supports a policy of supply management with the aim of eliminating surpluses by gradual reduction of subsidies. This makes it a difficult task to predict the outcome of negotiations. In some areas, such as agriculture and textiles, we must be mindful of the need to protect our interests. It is clear that the liberalisation of market access in other areas should greatly benefit Irish exporters.