John Bruton
Ceist:179 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the removal of export subsidies for EU agricultural products as part of a package to re-launch the Doha WTO trade round. [29639/03]
Vol. 576 No. 5
179 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his views on the removal of export subsidies for EU agricultural products as part of a package to re-launch the Doha WTO trade round. [29639/03]
The EU has prepared responsibly for, and participated constructively in, the WTO negotiations to date and, under the mandate agreed at the Ministerial Conference in Doha in November 2001, is already committed to substantially reducing expenditure on export refunds on agricultural products under a new round. I do not favour any change in the EU's negotiating position on agriculture, including that on export refunds, being made at this stage.