Written answers

Wednesday, 11 October 2006

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Trade Agreements

9:00 pm

Photo of Paul GogartyPaul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will use the formal review of the Economic Partnership Agreement; if he will use his influence in Europe to stop attempts by the European Commission to pressure ACP regions to accept reciprocal free-trade agreements to stop the forcing of the Singapore issues and encourage the exploration of alternative trade agreements. [31659/06]

Photo of Michael AhernMichael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Trade and Commerce, I fully support the basic thrust of an approach to Economic Partnership Agreements which ensures that the needs and concerns of developing countries and in particular least developed countries are taken adequately into consideration during the substantive phase of EPA negotiations.

As regards the formal review, based on Article 37.4 of the Cotonou Agreement, the intention is that this joint review by both EU and ACP should assess the progress made and means needed to conclude the negotiations in time. It was never the intention that the joint assessment should interfere with, or takeover from, the time needed to conduct the substance of the EPA negotiations.

The EPA will remove tariffs on EU goods and make trade between the EU and ACP easier for both imports and exports of goods and services. This will happen very gradually and with enough flexibility to protect sensitive industry and safeguard mechanisms to account for unforeseen problems. The EU has no offensive interests here. Its aim in the negotiation is sustainable development of ACP countries and regions. The liberalisation process will be carefully managed with transition periods and coverage that is compatible with social and economic constraints while also ensuring legal certainty under WTO rules.

Regarding alternative trade agreements, the Commission and EU Member States do not believe that there is a legally feasible alternative that offers anywhere near the same benefits as EPAs. The strength of EPAs is in the links between support for reform and trade policy, through the interaction between and the co-ordination of, new trade rules (including in relation to encouraging investment), regional integration, development assistance, and trade liberalisation. Alternatives were discussed extensively in the Cotonou negotiations and despite recent discussion there is no new proposal emerging. Nevertheless, Member States and the Commission will keep an open mind and will examine all proposals made by the ACP.

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