No further concessions!
04 November 2005
Jim Allister MEP has criticised the EU for giving too much ground in its latest paper relating to agriculture for the WTO discussions. The MEP has also expressed concern that further concessions may be offered relating to agriculture in order to bring the current discussions back to life.
Jim Allister commented, “I have major concerns regarding the current paper tabled by Peter Mandelson and the impact it will have on agriculture within Northern Ireland. In the latest paper, the EU Trade Commissioner has proposed to dramatically slash the level of tariffs on farms products coming into the EU. This will result in further downwards pressure being placed on the price paid for many of the farm products produced within the EU.
“It is vital that Mandelson does not offer further concessions with regard to European agriculture in order to get a WTO deal. With the recent CAP reform, European farmers have already made significant change to cater for a WTO deal. Further concessions will only result in the complete erosion of European agriculture. As a direct result, Europe will have to come more reliant on the importation of goods from other regions of the World that do not have the same environmental and animal welfare standards.”
