May 27, 2008

France and Ireland oppose WTO proposals on agricultural trade

France and Ireland rejected Monday (May 27, 2008) proposals in WTO free-trade negotiations. 

France also opposed the idea of a ministerial meeting next month to revive the long-stalled talks.

Last week the WTO submitted new proposals on agriculture and industry to its 152 members to revive the flagging Doha-round of trade liberalization, now in its seventh year.

Ironing out differences in the farm and industrial goods components of the current Doha round of talks has dogged negotiators.

Anne-Marie Idrac, French state trade secretary, said France still has a lot of questions about the agriculture proposals and noted that the plan does not provide improve France's market access for its industrial goods to emerging markets.

Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin said there was no need and little chance of a WTO deal before the US presidential election in November, contrary to the views of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson who briefed the EU ministers.

Ireland is particularly worried that the current proposals will hurt its key meat industry.

"The very clear imbalance in the present set of proposals makes them unacceptable to Ireland and to others," he said.

An E.U. official speaking on condition of anonymity said France, Poland, Ireland, and to a lesser extent Lithuania are strongly opposed to the proposals. 

"Sweden and Britain are more positive," the official said, while "in the middle there is a series of countries with concerns" although "nobody called for the texts to be rejected."