Vol. 556 No. 5
70 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has had discussions with the EU Commission regarding the implementation of a cereal quota or tariff for non-EU grain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20699/02]
I have discussed this issue at the Council of Agriculture Ministers. The EU is currently in negotiations with its WTO trading partners on the question of applying tariff quotas to imports of cereals into the Union. These negotiations have arisen due to a defect in the reference price system used to calculate import duties, which has allowed cereals to enter the Union from Black Sea ports, in particular from Russia and the Ukraine, at very low prices. This has resulted in disruption of EU markets and has created uncertainty for both cereal farmers and the grain trade. Earlier this year I wrote to Commissioner Fischler expressing my concern about this situation and I urged him to take urgent remedial action. I am hopeful that a satisfactory solution will emerge from the negotiations I have referred to, in the near future.
