MEPs approve Ashton for trade amid concern

EUROPE’S new trade commissioner to replace Peter Mandelson has been approved by the European Parliament, but she may not be farmer-friendly.

Irish MEP Sean Ó Neachtain believes that while Catherine Ashton might be less aggressive than her predecessor, she does not really understand the situation of small farmers.

Mandelson made it clear when he was negotiating the Doha world trade agreement on behalf of the EU that he was willing to sacrifice farming interests.

Ireland west MEP, Ó Neachtain, questioned Ashton about what her attitude to small farmers in particular would be in future negotiations on the world trade talks.

“Would Ms Ashton consider changing the proposals to allay the fears of small farmers surviving at the margins?” he asked her.

She said she would liaise with the Agriculture Commissioner Marian Fischer Boel, but her reply did not convince the Fianna Fáil MEP that she would help small farmers.

“I wanted to highlight the concerns that Mandelson’s proposal raised in rural Europe, not just in Ireland, and the fact that small farmers close to the margins in my and other constituencies could be wiped out. I also wanted to raise the issue of food security with her,” said Ó Neachtain.

But while she appeared to be more conciliatory than Mandelson he was not convinced that she in fact understood the situation.

Ashton told MEPs she believed the Doha round could still succeed. She did not dispute that she has little experience in trade, but repeated that she was an experienced negotiator and that this was very important.

While many MEPs expressed concerns about her credentials, 538 voted in her favour with 40 against and 63 abstaining.