Vol. 517 No. 3
146 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the proposals, if any, he has in the context of the World Trade Organisation discussions to take the necessary steps to ensure access for Irish agricultural products to world markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9961/00]
The European Union participates in the World Trade Organisation negotiations as a single entity with the EU Commission conducting the negotiations in accordance with a mandate adopted by the Council of Ministers. The mandate for the comprehensive round of negotiations which was to be launched by the WTO Ministerial Conference in Seattle at the end of last year was adopted by the EU Coun cil of Ministers on 27 September 1999 and confirmed subsequently by the General Affairs Council. In relation to access to world markets, the mandate provides that the EU, as a major food exporter, must act with a view to sharing in the expansion of world trade, which will result from the new round of negotiations; while the EU is prepared to negotiate a lowering of trade barriers in agriculture, it must also obtain, as a counterpart, improvements in market opportunities for its exporters; the council is prepared to negotiate the process of reductions in export subsidies provided that all such support is treated on an equal basis; a discipline on the use of export credits must be introduced and appropriate solutions must be found to other less transparent forms of export support such as state trading and the provision of food aid.
I am satisfied that the negotiating mandate is designed to protect the position of EU, including Irish, exporters on world markets. I will be monitoring the negotiations closely as they progress.
