Breeda Moynihan-Cronin
Ceist:39 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the pace of progress in the WTO talks on agriculture at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13985/03]
Written Answers. - WTO Negotiations.
The ministerial declaration agreed at Doha in November 2001, which launched the current round of WTO negotiations, set 31 March 2003 as the date by which an agreement on modalities would be concluded. The WTO Committee on Agriculture, in which the negotiations on agriculture are conducted, failed to meet that deadline. The negotiations will continue in the Committee on Agriculture with a view to reaching agreement before or at the next WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancún, Mexico, in September. The intention will be to proceed then to negotiate specific reduction commitments and to agree the terms of a new round by the beginning of 2005 as envisaged in the Doha Ministerial Declaration.
Despite the failure to reach agreement on modalities, I expect that the ultimate deadline set for the conclusion of the current round can be met.