Vol. 433 No. 2
4 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the number of meetings he has had to date in relation to the GATT talks; if he supports the French Government in its opposition to the agriculture proposals; and if he will give details of the timetable of meetings for the completion of negotiations on the final GATT agreement.
24 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade if he will assess the prospects for a successful conclusion of the GATT talks in view of the recent developments, including the EC Summit in Copenhagen; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 24 together.
I have discussed Uruguay Round issues with my EC counterparts in all the relevant EC Council meetings and I have, of course, also been represented at the various meetings dealing with the Round in Brussels, Geneva and elsewhere, and have had contacts as appropriate with other Community member states and other GATT parties as the talks have progressed.
Ireland is fully committed to achieving a successful, global and balanced conclusion to the Round, involving liberalisation commitments from all participants and covering all sectors including agriculture. The outline EC/US agreement on agriculture reached between the EC Commission and the US administration has been referred to Geneva for integration in the negotiation process of the Round, but it has not as yet been approved by the EC Council of Ministers or, on the US side, by the Congress. Many member states have raised reservations about parts of the agreement, most notably reservations by France and Ireland that it could not be accommodated within the Common Agricultural Policy reform programme already approved at Community level. We will be seeking to have these reservations fully addressed during the ongoing negotiations.
The timetable for future meetings depends on progress as the talks continue. There has been a renewed effort in recent weeks to move the negotiations forward. The Quad countries, the EC, US, Canada and Japan, have undertaken to work towards a market access package, that is, tariff reduction on goods and liberalisation commitments on services, which could be announced by 7 July. They have also endorsed a goal of completing negotiations on the Round by the end of this year. The market access package would be expected to lay the basis for re-engaging the multilateral negotiations in Geneva as soon as possible after 7 July.
In Copenhagen on 21 and 22 June the EC Council welcomed the Commission's report on progress to date in the Round. It underlined the need for the Community to continue to play an active part in achieving further progress in the negotiations.
These recent developments have improved prospects for an early and successful conclusion to the Round.
Is the Minister aware of a recent television interview in which our representative at the GATT talks, Mr. Peter Sutherland, emphasised the necessity to complete the negotiations as soon as possible? Will the Minister agree that the present proposals are balanced in favour of the US, particularly in regard to agriculture? Will the Minister agree also that the other GATT partners must adopt measures to curb their exports to the same degree as the EC? We are losing valuable markets because we are keeping our side of the bargain while the US is not. Will the Minister agree also that the provision for a quantified guarantee of extra access to EC markets must be suspended until final negotiations take place?
I am sure the Deputy did not mean to imply that Mr. Sutherland is the Irish representative in the GATT Round negotiations.
He is the Director General.
Fine Gael's representative.
One of the reasons Mr. Sutherland was considered for the position is that he showed himself to be impartial during his term as EC Commissioner. His nomination was accepted by all concerned. It is hoped that the Uruguay Round of the GATT negotiations will conclude by the end of this year. Following the appointment of the new US administration there are some doubts that this could be achieved but everyone was pleased to note that the conclusion date of 15 December stands. Ireland, with our EC partners, hope the negotiations will conclude by the end of this year.
The Deputy raised the question of agriculture. Ireland, with France, has reservations about the package, known as the Blair House Agreement, negotiated between the then Commissioner MacSharry, on behalf of the Community, and the United States. Ireland and France reserve their positions in regard to it and the Taoiseach, as recently as last month, when meeting the President and Prime Minister of France, reiterated those concerns. We have some difficulties in this regard and our reservations remain.
The Government is committed to the completion of the Uruguay Round negotiations. The liberalisation of world trade is a considerable opportunity for Ireland and the world. On my recommendation my Department has commissioned a study to give a balanced report on the advantages and disadvantages in the negotiations as as to how matters will progress for Ireland. When the GATT negotiations are concluded, the advantages and disadvantages should be obvious and we will be in a position to make an objective decision in this regard. We have concerns regarding many of the issues raised by Deputy Deenihan but it would be in Ireland's interest, and the interest of the world economy, that these negotiations conclude in 1993.
