EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said: "The EU has radically reformed its agricultural policy. Today's new proposals on tariffs respect our commitment to offer substantial improvements in market access, without putting those reforms into question. This is a bold move which will mean big new challenges for EU farmers. We need to get something in return: real, meaningful reforms in other developed countries, international recognition of our Geographical Indications, real curbs on other countries' trade-distorting export programmes, and far-reaching offers in other parts of the negotiation. The Doha Round is about much more than just agriculture, and others must give as well as take."
The Offer
Conditional on satisfactory movement in other areas, the EU offer proposes:
* A 60% reduction in the EU's highest tariffs. A range of tariff cuts between 35% and 60% for lower tariffs. A cut in our average agriculture tariff of 46% - from 22.8% to 12.2%.
* A maximum agricultural tariff of 100% - as demanded by developing countries;
* A reduction in the number of sensitive products designated by the EU;
* Reductions in tariffs even for sensitive products - and wider Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) for all sensitive products - meaning more market access;
* A 70% reduction in trade distorting agricultural subsidies - as agreed in the EU's 2003 CAP reform, and tighter disciplines on Blue Box spending;
* The total elimination of all agricultural export support by an agreed date, if others discipline their export support;
marketing@alchempro.com
