Vol. 484 No. 3
41 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the issues that are considered to be trade barriers for Irish companies operating on the Irish markets or exporting; if she has received submissions on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22069/97]
Irish companies trading on the home market face no barriers to trade since the country is a single market with no tariff barriers, uniform technical and other standards and a single currency. A similar situation obtains within the European Union's Single Market — the most important market for our exporters — and will be further consolidated with the introduction in 1999 of a common European currency. The EU Single Market is now effectively an extended home market for our exporters. However, exporters can sometimes face non-tariff barriers in the Single Market. For example, individual member states sometimes fail to implement the principle of mutual recognition of standards, whereby a product which is approved for sale in one member state should be free to circulate throughout the Single Market. Where such difficulties are brought to my Department's attention, they are actively pursued with the member state concerned and-or with the EU Commission. Examples of barriers faced by Irish companies in the Single Market were given in a 1995 survey which IBEC carried out at the request of the former Department of Tourism and Trade.
Irish exporters can face an array of tariff and non-tariff barriers on non-EU markets. Irish companies benefit from the EU's efforts to open markets in third countries through its Common Commercial Policy, which is implemented by the Commission in close co-operation with member states, and especially through its new Market Access Strategy. Ireland participates actively in the various EU trade fora with a view to ensuring that our economic interests are promoted in the development and implementation of the Common Commercial Policy and that significant barriers to Irish exports are addressed as part of the EU's Market Access Strategy.
The World Trade Organization is a key instrument of EU policy. Through a succession of trade ‘rounds', it has succeeded in bringing about a gradual lowering of tariff and non-tariff barriers. It also provides a forum for the resolution of trade disputes.
Specific problems faced by individual Irish exporters are also pursued bilaterally through diplomatic and other channels.
