Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the status of the World Trade Organisation talks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40489/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Director General of the WTO announced the resumption of the negotiations at the WTO Trade Negotiations Committee in Geneva on 16 November. The negotiations had been suspended since July because of lack of progress. The negotiations will proceed for the moment with technical rather than major political issues. It is too early to assess whether significant progress can be made in the near future. However, there is a consensus among WTO members that a "window of opportunity" to make progress may arise in early 2007 as the US deliberates on the policies it will pursue in support of agriculture in the new US Farm Bill.

While I am committed to an ambitious and balanced outcome to the negotiations, my position remains that agriculture must not be sacrificed for the sake of an overall agreement. Having carried out CAP reform in preparation for the WTO negotiations, my overriding concern is to ensure that a new agreement will not necessitate further reform of the CAP. My specific priorities are:

on Market Access, to resist further concessions, especially tariff cuts, to secure adequate protection for sensitive products in the Irish context and to retain an effective Safeguard Clause;

on Domestic Supports, to defend direct payments to farmers against reduction by ensuring their eligibility for the WTO 'Green Box' or non-trade distorting category of payments is maintained;

on Export Subsidies, to ensure flexibility in the phasing out arrangements and full parallel treatment for the elimination of all forms of export subsidy;

on Non-Trade Concerns, to ensure that account is taken of non-trade issues in the final agreement and, specifically, that the additional costs incurred by EU producers in meeting EU food safety, animal welfare, traceability and environmental standards are recognised in a new agreement.