INFORMAL FARM COUNCIL: EU MOVE TO KICKSTART WTO TALKS DOMINATES FIRST MEETING OF EU-25 FARM MINISTERS

摘要

All 25 EU Farm Ministers put forward a united front when they met In the Irish town of Killamey on May 11 to discuss the EU's latest move to kickstart the stalled World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round. None of the Ministers at the informal Farm Council hosted by the Irish Presidency spoke out against the EU's offer to scrap export refunds - one of the traditional forms of support under the CAP - although both France and Ireland criticised the timing of the letter Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler and Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy sent to all 148 WTO members. The letter, dated May 9, reiterated the EU's commitment to take action in order to prevent losing another year to deadlock (see article in Section IV). Mr Fischler emphasised that ending export refunds is conditional on the EU's trade partners increasing market access, eliminating domestic farm subsidies and export credits, stopping support for state-trading companies and ending the abuse of food aid.