2008
Press Release 30th July 2008:
The IEA responded to the collapse of the WTO Doha Round negotiations by stating , it was a bad day for international trade and a bad day for Irish exports.
John Whelan ceo of the IEA commented ;
“The failure to agree a final package in Geneva will result in a further deterioration of world trading conditions, and with it greater barriers to the cross border sale of goods and services. This will have a dis-proportionate impact on Irish exporters as we rely more heavily than the larger trading nations , on the WTO process to ensure regulated markets .
According to the WTO, the anticipated global savings in trade tariffs if the Doha round had been completed this week in Geneva would have been:
- 25 billion on industrial goods tariffs
- 35 billion on agricultural products
Ireland would have gained disproportionately from the deal as 97% of our exports are in non agricultural products.
The failure to conclude the Doha Round agreement will put back the multi-lateral negotiating system of the WTO by a decade. For Ireland and Irish exporters, the multilateral system has been very beneficial and gives small exporting nations the negotiating strength of the largest economies.
There is now the spectre of a rapid rise in bi-lateral trade agreements which may exclude Ireland. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment must now enter into a new phase of rapid trade reviews with each of our non-EU trading markets to ensure tariff and non tariff barriers are not imposed on our exports , and to agree new mutual recognition standards.
John Whelan, CEO of the IEA stated
“The safeguard mechanisms that ensure the continuity of open markets for Irish goods and services is now in doubt. The Irish Exporters Association , on behalf of our exporters now call on the government agency to enter into a new phase of vigilant in tackling trade barriers and using the full skills of government to keep markets open for Irish goods and services”.
For further information contact:
John Whelan, Chief Executive, Irish Exporters Association
Tel: (01) 661 2182
Email: jfwhelan@irishexporters.ie
END.
About the Irish Exporters Association (IEA)
The IEA represents the needs of export industry ensuring that the necessary
conditions are created and the necessary support is provided to assist
companies to maximise their export sales. The IEA draws its membership
from every exporting sector, ensuring that the interests of all industries are
represented and promoted at the highest level.
www.irishexporters.ie
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