Vol. 527 No. 5
128 Mr. J. Brady asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the stance adopted by Ireland in the World Trade Organisation talks, in particular in relation to securing the gains achieved in Agenda 2000; the progress achieved to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29100/00]
Negotiations on agriculture started in March 2000 under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation, in accordance with article 20 of the 1994 Agreement on Agriculture which was concluded as part of the last round of multilateral trade negotiations under the GATT. The first phase of the negotiations is a preparatory one, during which WTO members are submitting negotiating proposals in preparation for the commencement of substantive negotiations in 2001.
The European Union participates in the WTO negotiations as a single entity with the EU Commission conducting the negotiations in accordance with a mandate adopted by the Council of Ministers. The EU negotiating mandate for agriculture was adopted by the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers on 27 September 1999 and endorsed subsequently by the General Affairs Council. The mandate is based primarily on the Agenda 2000 agreement decided by the European Council in Berlin in March 1999. At its meeting on 21 November 2000 the Council of Agriculture Ministers approved a comprehensive negotiating proposal, based on the mandate already agreed, which will be forwarded to Geneva before the end of the year. I am satisfied that this negotiating proposal provides a satisfactory framework for protecting the interests of the Irish agriculture and food industries and it is my intention to ensure that these interests will be fully protected in the negotiations themselves.
