Farmers to protest outside EU offices
IFA president John Dillon has called on farmers from all over the country to converge on Dublin for the November 8 midday protest to demonstrate to EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson that his latest concessions on agriculture are totally unacceptable.
“I am looking for a turnout of at least 5,000 farmers. Agriculture must not be sold out for other industries in the trade talks,” he said.
Mr Dillon is also seeking an urgent meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and has urged Agriculture and Food Minister Mary Coughlan to reject Mr Mandelson’s latest offer which, he said, is beyond the negotiating mandate given to him by the EU member states.
Speaking at a Cork Central IFA celebration to mark the association’s golden jubilee, he said further concessions on import tariffs would have grave consequences for Irish and European farmers, as food production in the EU would no longer be profitable for the vast majority of producers.
Mr Mandelson insists, however, he has remained within his negotiating mandate with his latest bottom line offer to nearly halve the EU’s average tariff on agricultural imports to just over 12%. He also repeated an earlier EU pledge to eliminate all agricultural export support by an agreed date, if others do likewise.
ICMSA leader Pat O’Rourke called for an Irish veto on the proposals and ICSA president Malcolm Thompson said the future of family farms is being sold out to deliver concessions on industry and services.
Cormac Healy, Meat Industry Ireland, which represents processors, warned that the proposals will expose the EU market for beef and lamb to significant increases in imports of lower-priced product from countries such as Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia.
Meanwhile, Minister Mary Coughlan said she remains concerned about a number of aspects in the negotiations, especially the further tariff cuts offered and the threat to the EU’s system of direct payments.
But the Commission’s latest offer reiterates clearly that the EU is not prepared to contribute to a new agreement at any price.
WTO director general Pascal Lamy said the new EU offer to cut farm tariffs was serious and deserved consideration while Oxfam said it appears to give some hope to unblock the world trade talks.
