Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I will revert to the Deputy with a detailed note on the matter so that he can be more reassured on the matter.

The economic partnership agreements have, to a large extent, been misconstrued by many people in civil society and in the Dáil. The EPAs are development instruments designed to help these countries. They have not yet reached the deadline by which they are to be finished and operational. We have until 2008 in that regard. I am reassured by personally having raised the matter at various ministerial meetings and directly with Commissioner Mandelson. I was particularly encouraged by the remarks he made to the EU Development Ministers in Leeds that these are primarily viewed as development instruments, designed to encourage south-to-south trade, which is the key issue. While considerable talk and guff is engaged in regarding the WTO, one crucial point cannot be forgotten in this regard, namely, that 60% of levies and customs duties of various kinds are charged by developing countries against other developing countries. The important focus of EU aid efforts will be on how we can create regional integration within the continent of Africa. For example, east Africa has very ambitious plans to integrate its economies, namely, those of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, in a common market-style approach, which was how Ireland, as a country, gained from Europe.

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