Hope on the horizon for WTO agriculture talks
But it is still believed there will be no final overall WTO agreement ahead of the US presidential election and the appointment of a new EU Commission later in the year. However, the prospects for agreement are expected to be discussed at the Dromoland summit where President George W Bush and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will head the US and EU delegations.
EU Farm Commissioner Dr Franz Fischler struck an upbeat note in Winnipeg, Canada, yesterday when he suggested a breakthrough is possible in July. He said the EU is ready to do its part to make it happen and it must put its export subsides on the table.
“I hope the US and other rich countries will follow the European example and reform its farm bill to make it less trade-distorting and more market-oriented,” he said.
Last month, the EU announced it was prepared to move towards phasing out farm support subsidies in a bid to kick-start the talks. But the offer was conditional on all other parties, including the US, being prepared to take similar action and on an acceptable outcome being reached on other issues.
Furious Irish farm and agri-business sector claimed the move threatened Ireland’s beef and dairy industries because of their high dependence on export markets.
WTO Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi said it was essential to agree a framework by the end of July if the Doha round of trade talks was to succeed. Failure to agree on the framework could mean that significant gains achieved in recent months could be lost.
“It is vital that WTO member Governments consolidate these gains and establish a foundation on which we can advance the Doha negotiations,” he said.
