Allister points to long haul on WTO
14 December 2005
MEP Jim Allister has told Farming Life that the threat of a WTO agreement will hang over European agriculture throughout 2006 and possibly into 2007.
“It’s now almost certain that this week’s Hong Kong council meeting will not throw up a comprehensive deal,” he added.
“He added:
“This means that discussions will be extended into 2006 and possibly beyond. My worry is that EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has already indicated his willingness to give ground on imports into the EU even before the bargaining has begun in earnest. And, as a result, he will have no option but to give further ground on this point before some form of final deal can be reached.
“We have already seen the impact that a limited volume of beef exports from Brazil can have on local livestock prices. And if greater volumes are allowed in, the only prospect in store for beef producers is even more pressure on market returns.”
Jim Allister’s comments against the backdrop of WTO (World Trade Organisation) director general Pascal Lamy reiterate the agricultural priorities that must be addressed if an overall trade deal is to be reached.
These include:
Those elements of the formulae for the reduction commitments in trade-distorting domestic support. Closely aligned to this are the disciplines that should complement the reduction commitments. The WTO secretariat is also emphasising the parts of the formula for tariff reduction commitments and other elements to support it plus the flexibilities that should accompany the tariff reduction commitments.
“An overall agreement is needed regarding parallelism in order to determine an end-date for elimination of all forms of export subsidies,” concluded Pascal Lamy.
