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Dept for International Development

Answer

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with EU Ministers about trade rules with Ethiopia affecting (a) tariff and (b) EU farming subsidies, with regard to (i) coffee and (ii) other products. [83154] Clare Short: At the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 18-19 November I took part in discussions, with fellow EU Ministers, about the current state of the international coffee market. At this meeting I reiterated, with reference to Ethiopia as a case in point, some of the challenges facing a number of commodity dependent countries. I highlighted the need to assist these countries by promoting economic diversification as well as by delivering on CAP reform. We recognise the damaging impact that trade- distorting subsidies have on developing countries agriculture sectors. At the Doha Ministerial meeting last year it was agreed that agriculture negotiations would aim to achieve "substantial reductions in trade- distorting domestic support". The UK fully supports these negotiations and is pressing for ambitious reform of the CAP to help the EU to participate effectively in the WTO negotiations. While there is some preferential trade access to the EU for developing countries, more needs to be done to reduce the tariffs that the EU currently applies to a range of agricultural and non-agricultural products that offer potential alternative export trade opportunities for these countries. In order to tackle these barriers, the Doha meeting agreed that we should reduce barriers to trade in all products and particularly tariff peaks, high tariffs and tariff escalation. To ensure these negotiations result in liberalisation that benefits the world's poor, we are working to make these commitments become a reality. Through our direct assistance programme we have worked with the private sector on a scoping study of opportunities and constraints relating to Ethiopia exporting horticultural produce to EU markets and are now planning some follow-up work.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

83154; 395 c529W;395 c528-9W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Farms EU external trade Trade Subsidies Common agricultural policy Ethiopia Coffee EU trade

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk