Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her position regarding the abolition of export credit refunds by the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12058/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The framework agreement for the current WTO round which was concluded in Geneva in August 2004 commits member countries, including the EU, to negotiate detailed rules, including an end-date for the parallel elimination of all forms of export subsidies and for the introduction of disciplines on export measures with equivalent effect. The framework agreement covers export refunds, export credits, the trade-distorting practices of state trading enterprises and food aid practices which are not in conformity with disciplines to be introduced.

At the WTO Hong Kong ministerial conference in December 2005, agreement was reached on an end date of 2013 for all forms of export subsidy. The EU's acceptance of this end date was conditional on the application of equivalent disciplines on all forms of export subsidy. The parallel elimination of all export subsidies should ensure equal competition on the world market for all exporters. I am committed to ensure that full parallel elimination of all forms of export subsidy is delivered by our negotiating partners and that, in so far as EU export refunds are concerned, the most flexible phasing-out arrangements are achieved.