Given that the agreement was concluded only after many days and nights of negotiations, it puts Ireland and the European Union in an offensive position when approaching the WTO talks next September. They can justifiably demand concessions from trading partners in return. It is now for our friends in America and elsewhere to make the next move. American has recently revived its system of supports and massively increased its trade distorting agricultural subsidies. By contrast, there has been inverted progress on the European side.