Written answers

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

Department of Agriculture and Food

World Trade Negotiations

11:00 pm

Photo of Andrew DoyleAndrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 409: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position he is preparing for the WTO talks in July 2009 to protect the food production sector here and to ensure the limitation of food imports into Ireland; the priority the protection of the local food sector has in the WTO talks; and the research being carried out to evaluate the different options being proposed and their impact on the different sectors for the WTO talks. [16245/09]

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The current position in regard to the WTO negotiations is that talks are stalled following the failure to reach agreement at the Ministerial meeting last July and the decision to defer indefinitely a second Ministerial meeting planned for last December. The World Economic Forum at Davos in February and the G20 meeting in April provided no new momentum for the negotiations and nor did the G20 meeting set a date for a conclusion of the talks this year.

All in all the prospects for agreement are uncertain and therefore it is premature to forecast the expected impact on Irish and European food producers. On the one hand, the new administration in the US, upcoming elections in India, changes in EU Commissioners and the changed economic situation militate against agreement being reached. On the other hand there is the determination of the WTO DG Lamy and a number of WTO members to reach agreement. On balance, it is difficult to see serious negotiations restarting until later this year and any conclusion in 2009.

Against that background I, my officials and my colleagues in Government continue to pursue Ireland's interests in the negotiations with the Commission and other Member States at every opportunity at co-ordination meetings in Geneva, at the Article 133 Committee in Brussels and at the recent meeting of Trade Ministers. We want an agreement that is balanced within and between the various negotiating pillars that delivers real benefits to Ireland and that does not sacrifice our agriculture sector.

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