Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2004
14 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the discussions he has had with the European Agriculture Commissioner with respect to the abolition of export subsidies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14766/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have discussed issues relating to export subsidies in the context of the EU's approach to the current round of WTO negotiations with Commissioner Fischler on many occasions, most recently in the margins of the informal Council of Agriculture Ministers in Killarney on 12 May 2004.
Export support is one of the three pillars of the agricultural negotiations taking place under the WTO's Doha development round. In a recent letter to all WTO members, the European Commission has indicated that if an acceptable outcome emerges on the other two pillars, market access and domestic support, and if there is full parallelism on other forms of export competition, including export credits, food aid and State trading enterprises, the EU would be prepared to move on its export subsidies.
I am monitoring developments in the WTO closely and the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 24 May, which I will chair, will, on my initiative, discuss the current situation.
