asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether changes have occurred at EC level which will allow meat, dairy and/or other food products into the EC from third countries; the countries from which such products are likely to come; their consequent effect on sales of similar Irish products within the EC; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Third Country Food Products.
30.
Under both bilateral arrangements with individual countries and multilateral arrangements within GATT, food products enter the Community from many third countries. In turn, under these same agreements the Community gains access for its exports to those countries.
Apart from a minor adjustment of the high quality beef import arrangements, there have been no recent changes at EC level which would alter the pattern of this trade. A number of the arrangements are, however, due for renewal and are under discussion at Community level.
Proposals in relation to access for New Zealand butter have been submitted to the Council of Ministers by the EC Commission but no decision has been taken by the Council on the issue.
Negotiations on the adaptation of voluntary restraint agreements in the sheepmeat sector with third countries are underway and I expect that proposals in relation to these will be submitted to the Council of Ministers in due course. These negotiations are aimed at getting the countries concerned who have unlimited access rights to the Community to agree to limit their supplies in return for tariff concessions.
The Council will also be considering shortly proposals in regard to imports of manufacturing beef and young animals for which under GATT commitments annual quantities must be fixed.
The Deputy will be aware that negotiations aimed at liberalising trade are taking place under the Uruguay Round of the GATT Multilateral Trade Negotiations. In the negotiations the Community has insisted on (a) credit for the reform measures it has already taken and (b) other trading partners undertaking equivalent measures. At a meeting of the Council of Ministers on 14-15 November this approach was confirmed as was insistence on any further liberalisation of trade taking place on the basis of mutual advantage.
The various concessionary imports do, of course, have some effect on Community markets and where possible Ireland has always tried to have the quantities reduced. Our room for manoeuvre on this is, however, restricted by the fact that most of the imports take place under GATT commitments. The effect on the market is in any event limited, as the amounts involved are generally small in relation to Community consumption levels. The point must also be borne in mind that Community member states — and Ireland in particular — have a major interest in exporting to international markets and that it is impossible to maintain an unlimited right to export while totally excluding other countries from access to our markets.