Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her views on developing countries' demands in World Trade Organisation negotiations for a special safeguard mechanism and special products mechanism to be inserted into future WTO agreements; and if she will make a statement on the matter of demanding concessions by such developing countries in return for acceding to their demands. [18888/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The mandate for the current round of WTO negotiations, the Doha Development Agenda, states that special and differential treatment for developing countries shall be an integral element of all elements of the negotiations.

In accordance with the negotiating mandate, agreement was reached in August 2004 on a "Framework for establishing modalities in agriculture" which sets out the main elements of a new agreement. The Framework provides for the establishment of a Special Safeguard Mechanism for developing countries and the designation of an appropriate number of Special Products, based on their food security, livelihood security and rural development needs, which will be subject to more flexible treatment that other products in relation to market access arrangements.

I fully support the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries and agree with the aspects included in the Framework agreement. Detailed arrangements for their implementation will be agreed as part of the on-going negotiations on the terms of the final agreement. The negotiations cover a broad range of issues for a new multilateral trade agreement in which all WTO member countries participate and contribute. My objective is to achieve a balanced outcome to the negotiations that recognises the agriculture market access and other sensitivities of both developed and developing countries.