Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 72 and 75 together.

The European Union is seeking a balanced and ambitious outcome across all core areas of the Doha development agenda. The EU believes this is the only way to deliver economic growth and development gains for all participants. Ireland fully supports the EU objective.

The position has now been reached in the negotiations when all WTO members need to aim at a realistic outcome. The final package must be politically and economically attractive and sustainable for all members of the World Trade Organisation, not just for some. In particular, it must include a comprehensive and meaningful outcome on development issues.

All participants should contribute to the process according to their means. The EU believes that developing countries should do less than developed countries and that the poorest and most vulnerable should make no market access commitments at all. Emerging economies, however, have to make some contribution by offering real new market access and business opportunities for industrial goods and services.

New market access is the contribution of trade policy to the EU Lisbon Agenda of promoting growth and jobs which all EU member states have identified as the top political priority.

Progress requires real commitments in areas like services and the strengthening of WTO rules in the area of anti-dumping, for example, as well as in agriculture and industrial tariffs, if this round is to succeed in the time available.

The EU will continue to negotiate in good faith. All governments must now agree to negotiate in the realms of the possible. Every effort should be made to conclude the negotiations by the end of this year and I am confident the EU will play its part towards that objective.

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