COGECA opposes trade concessions

COGECA, which represents the interests of over 30,000 agricultural and food co-operatives in the European Union, is strongly opposed to any WTO trade deal that would go beyond the 2003 CAP reform or would put downward pressure on EU product prices.

That message was conveyed to EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson by Donal Cashman, president elect of COGECA, whose affiliated co-ops have over nine million farmer members, a turnover of €210 billion and processes and market over 60% of the agricultural food products in the EU.

Mr Cashman, a dairy farmer from White’s Cross in Cork and former president of the Irish Farmers Association, met Mr Mandelson in Brussels.