Press Release

Monday 21^st July 2008

Critical week for exporters as WTO convene meeting to bring the Doha Round to conclusion

As EU Commissioners, Ministers and other officials arrive in Geneva today 21^st July, their negotiating documents will already be clear, as they consider the complex issues of agricultural and industrial goods, services and trade facilitation.

A deal to open trade in agricultural produce, industrial goods and services, means more growth for Irish Exporters, better prospects for trade development outside the EU, and a more predictable global trading system.

Any exercising of the Irish veto if the agriculture package is unacceptable will come afterwards when the WTO Doha deal comes back for ratification within the EU.

John Whelan CEO of the Irish Exporters Association stated today;

“In these difficult economic times ,  there is strong expectations amongst Irish exporters  that the WTO Doha deal  if conclude this week will greatly improve access for Irish  goods and services abroad.”

He went on to say;

“The justification for excluding agricultural products from trade liberalisation cannot be sustained in the long term, if we are to continue to expect market access for all our industrial good and services, in these same countries ”

The I.E.A. statement went on to emphasise the magnitude of the reliance on different sectors of Irish exports;

Exports in 2007 were as follows; 

>Agricultural Produce - €5,013 million

>Forestry & Fishing produce - €444 million

>Industrial Goods - €83,124 million

>Service Exports - €65,650 million

Agricultural produce account for 3% of Irish exports, whereas industrial and services exports account for 97%

John Whelan further commented:

“Taoiseach Brian Cowan, when considering the outcome of this weeks WTO DOHA negotiations, must take into account the 97% of Irish Exports that are non- agricultural and what a successful conclusion of the Doha deal will mean to them. This must be weighted carefully against any potential loses in the agricultural export sector, before any decision is made on the use of a veto ”

ENDS

For Further information:

Contact, John Whelan, CEO ,Irish Exporters Association @ JFWhelan@irishexporters.ie or tel: 087 9271243