WTO deal ‘must not affect CAP reform’

IRELAND insisted yesterday any new world trade agreement must be accommodated within the terms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms.

Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan told World Trade Organisation (WTO) director general Pascal Lamy at a meeting in Geneva that further reform must not be forced by the outcome of a new agreement.

She said later it would be unacceptable to sacrifice agriculture for the sake of an overall agreement.