Vol. 504 No. 3
44 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will stress the importance of governments acknowledging that the development of CAP instruments distorts competition with important negative implications for majority world producers in view of his previous recognition of the need for coherence between CAP and EU development co-operation policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11842/99]
45 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, he will make for the European Union to appoint an ombudsman to monitor the distortions caused by the deployment of CAP instruments on markets of economic significance to the majority world suppliers at the next meeting with his EU counterparts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11843/99]
46 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans, if any, he has to propose that the European Union red flag trade in products with countries and regions where a known sensitivity exists in order that the impact of adjustment in export refunds on trade flows can be closely monitored to avoid the emergence of problems for majority world producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11844/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 to 46, inclusive, together.
The Government is conscious of the need to ensure that the agricultural and wider economic development of developing countries is not undermined by EU export subsidies or through CAP policies in general. There have been significant improvements in the situation in recent years and we continue to strive to ensure that national and EU policies promote the economic advancement of developing countries.
Ireland is working with other member states to ensure a greater coherence between our development and other policies within the European Union. A resolution on coherence was agreed at the Development Council in June 1997 and work is ongoing particularly in the areas of fisheries, migration, conflict prevention and food security. In the food security area, the resolution draws attention to the need to ensure that agricultural exports and food aid in kind do not damage the production and marketing capacity of developing countries.
As a rule there is close co-ordination between my Department and other Departments including Agriculture and Food and Enterprise, Trade and Employment to ensure that the interests of least developed countries inform our perspective. Ireland views this procedure as essentially part of a wider strategy to protect the interests of the least developed countries in international fora. This informed our position in the discussions on the EU mandate for post-Lomé negotiations, where Ireland and its EU partners have agreed that least developed countries will receive access to EU markets for essentially all goods.
We have in addition welcomed the EU Commission's proposal for the implementation of tariff and quota free access for products from least developed countries by the end of the forthcoming millennium round of world trade negotiations.
