Media release

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

Friday, 13th October, 2000

Time to get serious on Ag Trade Reform!

Ministers at the 21st Meeting of the Cairns Group in Banff, Canada, this week called on WTO Members to get serious about agricultural trade reform.

Chairman, Australian Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, said the Cairns Group was united and resolved to ensure that the current agriculture negotiations conclude successfully, and as soon as possible.

"We have reached a critical stage in the agricultural negotiations and its now time for all WTO members to put their reform proposals on the table. The time has come to make good on the commitment made during the Uruguay Round to deliver a fair and market-based agricultural trading system," Mr Vaile said.

"Government support to agriculture in the OECD in 1999 was over $US360-billion, as high as it was during the subsidy wars of the 1980s. The Cairns Group is committed to rectify the unfair penalty that this huge level of support imposes on efficient, productive, competitive exporters".

Mr Vaile said the Ministers from the 18 member countries examined the progress made so far in the WTO agriculture negotiations and agreed on a strategy for achieving ambitious reform.

"The Group had already shown leadership in the negotiations by proposing the elimination of export subsidies and trade-distorting domestic subsidies, and we will be putting forward an ambitious market access proposal in November," Mr Vaile said.

Mr Vaile said the Cairns Group - fifteen of whose members are developing countries - is taking the lead in proposing solutions to the agricultural problems of developing countries.

Mr Vaile also welcomed the participation at the Meeting of EU Agriculture Commissioner, Franz Fischler.

"We had a constructive session with Commissioner Fischler who stated that the EU is willing to engage constructively in the negotiations - even in the absence of a round – and we must work hard to hold the EU to this undertaking."

"Another highlight of the meeting was the participation of Egyptian Minister for Economy and Foreign Trade, Youssef Boutros-Ghali, whose involvement reflected the growing convergence between the Cairns Group and key developing countries," Mr Vaile said.

"I welcome the strong statement by Dr Boutros-Ghali that the export subsidies of developed countries not only do not help net food importing countries but they actually harm their interests."

Mr Vaile said the increasing participation of industry groups from Cairns Group countries in international advocacy for reform. Cairns Group Farm Leaders had discussed with Ministers how government and industry could collaborate in international advocacy for reform.

"Industry, especially in competitive exporting nations, has a vital role in highlighting the costs of protection - after all, it feels the direct commercial effect of exorbitant tariffs or subsidised competition. The more voices joining the Cairns Group arguing for a fair go in international markets, the better."

Local Date: Friday, 21-Nov-2008 05:04:21 EST