Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Since the re-launch of the Doha development agenda in July 2004, with the adoption of the framework agreement by WTO members, DDA negotiations have been on-going in Geneva across the full range of trade-related issues, including agriculture, industrial goods, services, and the issue of development. Negotiations have been slow but have increased in intensity in recent weeks in the lead-in to the WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong, in December, with the tabling of offers by WTO members, including the United States.

Ireland's objective, and that of the EU, going into Hong Kong is to come to a result that will be ambitious, balanced and creates the right basis for the final and decisive stage of negotiations with a view to concluding the round as soon as possible after Hong Kong. Ireland's priority has been, and is, to see that the process of trade liberalisation continues in a fair and balanced manner and that the WTO continues to provide a stable and constant framework for the regulation of world trade.

The conclusions of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council last week, which considered the state of play of the current WTO negotiations, reaffirmed the importance to the EU of overall balance in the outcome of the DDA negotiations. The council underlined its support for the European Commission's efforts to secure an outcome in line with its negotiating mandate. This process is to include explanations to the Council, confirming that the Commission's actions remained within the mandate, including as necessary, the use of technical analysis.