Minister Smith Criticises WTO Proposals

The G14+ group represents up to 20 like-minded Member States who have met regularly to discuss issues of concern in relation to WTO. Last week's meeting took place less than a week before the Ministerial meeting on WTO in Geneva. Addressing his colleagues Minister Smith stressed that all Member States present shared a desire to achieve a WTO deal.

"We all recognise the benefits of the multilateral trading system and the lift that could be given to the world economy by a successful deal. But that deal must be balanced and must take account of the EU's own interests especially in agriculture," he said.

He also underlined Ireland's concern regarding the latest WTO negotiating document on agriculture. He said he remained worried about the proposed new language on the 'Green Box' under which EU payments amounting to almost EUR 2 billion per year to Irish farmers are protected from reduction commitments.

He also contrasted the many concessions which have been made by the EU on agriculture with the lack of progress on other aspects of the negotiations.

Given that a ministerial meeting has now been convened, the Minister called on his EU colleagues to focus their energies on "ensuring that we are not pushed into a bad deal by the timing of the US elections and desire by some for a legacy."

In the course of the Council meeting, Ministers also had a lengthy discussion on the 'CAP Health Check' during which Minister Smith expressed his continued opposition to the proposed increases in modulation, which he said "run counter to the legitimate expectation of farmers, who accepted decoupling just three years ago, and who are still in the process of adapting to that fundamental change."