Mandelson ‘exceeded talks mandate’

THE livelihoods of millions of European farmers are at stake, co-op and farm leaders have warned.

Donal Cashman and Jean-Michel Lemétayer, the respective presidents of the European umbrella bodies COGECA and COPA, said the European Commission has gone too far in the World Trade talks and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has exceeded his mandate.

They said it is high time Mr Mandelson stopped negotiating against EU interests for the sake of reaching an agreement. The constant erosion of the Common Agricultural Policy must end, they said.

The two leaders issued their warning as a further attempt to move the talks forward began in London with a meeting of senior trade official from the US, EU, Brazil and India.

A 75% cut in subsidies to EU farmers, a cut in tariffs of over 50% and the complete elimination of export subsidies will have a very severe impact on the incomes of EU farmers, the two leaders said.

“Yet, we are still faced with a US offer which means they can actually increase their trade- distorting support in direct contradiction to WTO objectives,” they said.

Mr Cashman, a former president of both the ICOS and the IFA, added: “We are getting the strong impression that the US is more interested in brokering bilateral deals than in obtaining fair rules of trade for all 150 WTO members. Under these circumstances, no agreement is better than a bad agreement.”