Dairy body urges firmer EC stance

DAIRY processors in Ireland have warned the current proposal on agriculture at the world trade talks will undermine their industry unless the European Commission takes a firmer stance in the negotiations.

Their representative body, the Irish Dairy Industry Association (IDIA), said it is clear commission negotiators have lost control of the agenda, as yet more concessions are demanded from the EU on market access.

IDIA director Michael Barry said the discussions on the CAP Health Check must be reviewed to ensure the significant changes in the WTO proposals are reflected.

“It will not be possible otherwise to balance markets during the abolition of quotas and a very volatile market will be the result,” he said

Mr Barry said the dairy sector will be making a massive contribution to the process of trade liberalisation in forgoing export refunds and by offering significant access to the EU market.

“All we have sought in exchange is a balanced deal that gives the industry time to adapt and some safeguards against the greater volatility that can be expected from greater exposure to the world market.

“Instead the modalities paper makes clear the EU is being asked to keep on making more concessions.

“Our concern is there is a widening gap between the rhetoric of the Commission and what it is delivering for EU agriculture,” he said.