Killarney decision by EU triggers draft deal at world trade talks

A DECISION announced in Killarney earlier this year by the European Union was hailed yesterday as having triggered a draft deal at the world trade talks in Geneva.

It was revealed at an informal meeting of the EU Farm Council at Hotel Europe in May that Commissioners Pascal Lamy (Trade) and Franz Fischler (Agriculture) had made an offer to kick-start the stalled talks in a letter to the 147 World Trade Organisation member states.

The commissioners indicated that the EU was prepared to move towards eliminating agricultural export refunds if all other parties were prepared to do the same and there was a satisfactory outcome to other issues.