Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the implications of the recent round of World Trade Organisation trade talks in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4074/06]

Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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The agreement reached in Hong Kong provides for a continuation of negotiations across the full spectrum of areas within the Doha Development Agenda, with a recommendation of a deadline of concluding the negotiations successfully in 2006.

The Hong Kong ministerial meeting progressed important objectives including that of agreeing a package of measures of benefit, in particular, to least developed countries, as well as making progress on other aspects of the DDA negotiations, including in agriculture. An important achievement in Hong Kong was the agreement on the development package, including 97% Everything But Arms coverage, progress on cotton subsidies and on Aid for Trade. In agriculture, WTO members agreed to the parallel elimination of all forms of export subsidies and disciplines on all export measures with equivalent effect to be completed by the end of 2013.

Ireland, as with other EU member states, would have liked to have seen more progress in reaching agreement on lowering tariffs and trade barriers in the areas of industrial goods and services. EU Ministers, in their conclusions of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, in Hong Kong, shared the assessment of Commissioners Mandelson and Fischer Boel that, despite certain deficiencies and lack of ambitious progress on various issues, the overall outcome was acceptable.

Ireland is hopeful that the further negotiations, over the coming year, can achieve greater negotiating success through greater market access in areas of interest for Irish industrial goods and services exporters, and that the development objective of the negotiations can be fully met. Ireland, as with other EU member states, will work towards the achievement of an ambitious and balanced overall outcome to the DDA negotiations.