Ireland, France to work together

IRELAND and France will work closely together in coming weeks as world trade talks enter a crucial phase.

Respective agriculture ministers Mary Coughlan and Michel Barnier agreed on this approach at a meeting in Paris yesterday.

They discussed the latest developments and the European Commission’s health check on the Common Agricultural Policy.

Both sides have concerns about the way in which the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations are progressing in Geneva.

They say the latest negotiation paper on agriculture contains a number of areas with which they are unhappy. They felt overall there is a lack of balance.

Ms Coughlan said she and Mr Barnier had a very useful discussion and agreed to liaise further, particularly in advance of next week’s Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels.

They also discussed developments in the CAP Health Check and had a very useful exchange of views on the positions being taken in Council.

As with the WTO, Ms Coughlan said there was a huge degree of a commonality on their overall approach to the CAP and to its long-term future.

Both ministers agreed on the fundamental role of agriculture and food in the world economy.

They discussed current market issues and focused in particular on the pigmeat sector. On this, they agreed on the importance of EU supports and the need to continue these.