Written answers

Tuesday, 8 March 2005

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

World Trade Negotiations

8:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his objectives in the context of the forthcoming WTO talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7996/05]

Photo of Michael AhernMichael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is pleased with the outcome of the World Trade Organisation's, WTO, general council meeting held last July. There, a framework agreement was adopted to further progress the Doha Development Agenda, DDA. We supported its adoption. It sets out the parameters for the next stages of negotiation of the DDA.

WTO members are now in negotiation to translate the provisions of the framework agreement into specific commitments in key areas of interest, which are agriculture, non-agricultural products and services.

In the case of agriculture, the framework agreement includes provision for negotiations to realise a substantial cut in trade-distorting supports, the elimination of export practices that negatively affect trade and the further opening of agricultural markets.

Guidelines are under negotiation for non-agricultural products, which seek to cut tariffs and to eliminate or reduce non-tariff barriers that inhibit trade.

Further progressive liberalisation will be a key feature of the negotiations on services. Exporters in all member states of the European Union have a strong commercial interest in progress being made to improve the effectiveness of the overall environment that impacts on internationally traded services.

On trade facilitation, the simplification of customs rules and procedures is another issue for negotiation and another area where we want to see progress agreed in the interest of developing trade in goods and services.

The provisions of the framework agreement have particular regard to the needs and concerns that have been articulated by representatives of less developed countries. Many of these are now members of the WTO. This country is committed to having those concerns adequately addressed and responded to. That is seen as being an indispensable element of the achievement of overall consensus and final agreement to a new trade round.

Finally, our appreciation of the continuing importance of export-led growth dictates that we support a strengthening of the WTO and of the multilateral trading system that it espouses. That includes a supportive and determined approach to the elimination of the remaining barriers to trade in goods and services.

Liberalisation of the trading regime that informs the development of all economic sectors will facilitate global trade growth and expansion. That is in the national interest and so progress, in the WTO context, will have a direct bearing on this country's economic and social development in the years ahead.

Accordingly, working co-operatively in the EU context, we will now seek to ensure that the negotiation process continues to move forward, towards a mutually acceptable and early conclusion.

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