No deal- good deal?
06 July 2006
Jim Allister MEP has expressed concern that the EU Trade Commissioner was willing to sacrifice EU agriculture at the WTO talks in Geneva last weekend. Despite Mandelson offering further concessions in terms of agricultural market access the talks broke down without agreement. Following the talks Pascal Lammy, Director General of the WTO, described the whole process as being in crisis.
Jim Allister commented, “It is clear that Mandelson is willing to make further concessions in terms of EU agriculture in order to get a WTO agreement. Despite the further weakening of the European position with regard to agriculture, it is clear that the United States are not willing to cut their domestic support for farmers and developing countries are not willing to allow greater access for non agricultural goods.
“I believe that for European agriculture it may be better if there is a delay in reaching a WTO agreement. If an agreement cannot be reached in the next couple of weeks it could be delayed for several years. During this time I believe that world prices for food may start to increase and world farming will change from producing food to energy production.”
