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Bananas
Sir Alastair Goodlad: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has made to the European Commissions about the findings of the WTO Appellate Body on the EU banana regime; and if she will make a statement. [40157]
Clare Short: The Government have been keeping in close touch with the European Commission since the WTO Appellate Body published its findings on the EU banana regime last Autumn. The Commission made proposals earlier this year for changes to the banana regime, to bring it into line with the WTO ruling, and for the new assistance framework for traditional producers in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
Negotiations on these proposals are now well advanced in Brussels. As the leading advocate of the developing countries in the Caribbean who have traditionally supplied bananas to the UK, the Government have made it a priority of its current Presidency of the EU to reach agreement.
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Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been the outcome of her discussions with the Patent Office about the proposed EC Directive concerning the protection of biotechnological inventions and the potential implications for developing countries. [40152]
Clare Short:
The proposed EC Directive on the Legal Protection of Biotechnological Inventions is currently being considered by the European Parliament, following adoption of a Common Position by the Council of Ministers in February 1998. The Directive addresses which biotechnological inventions can be patented in Europe and does not affect national patent laws. When agreeing to support this Common Position, the UK set down a statement which noted that there had been no consideration as to whether the provisions of the Directive would be appropriate for other countries outside the European Union, in particular developing countries.
In its statement the UK also considered that in preparing its annual report on the development implications of patent law in the field of biotechnology and genetic engineering [under Article 16.3 of the proposal] the Commission should consider the breadth of patent rights, the effects of patents on research and, in accordance with Article 130v of the Treaty of Maastricht, take account of the implications for developing countries.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made to the Generalised System of Preferences Working Group about the proposed regulation; and if she will make a statement. [40149]
Clare Short:
Two key regulations have been discussed and agreed within the Generalised System of Preferences Working Group during the UK Presidency. These are the Regulation on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Regulation on Special Incentives. UK policy on both of these is set out in the Government's White Paper on International Development published in November 1997. DFID has worked closely with DTI--which is the lead Department in formulating and implementing the Government's policy.
The proposed Regulation on LDCs was agreed by the Council in March this year. This requires the EU to extend market access terms, similar to those available under the Lome Convention, to the nine non-ACP LDCs and to apply these retrospectively from 1 January 1998. We therefore welcome this Regulation which we see as an important first step towards our long-term goal of duty-free market access to the EU market for all LDCs and for the eventual agreement to eliminate tariffs on LDC products within a bound WTO scheme.
The proposed Regulation on Special Incentives provides for additional trade preferences to be granted to developing countries that meet certain labour and environmental standards. The Government attach considerable importance to these proposals as a mechanism for signalling to the developing world that our
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concerns about raising standards are not driven by protectionist motives. The GSP Working Group has concluded its deliberations on the proposal which will be submitted to the Council in May. The Group will soon be considering how technical assistance can be offered to those developing countries who wish to access the scheme but who lack the capacity to meet the required standards.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with (i) the Department of Trade and Industry (ii) the WTO and (iii) multilateral and bilateral aid donors about ways to achieve further reductions in trade barriers faced by LDCs; and if she will make a statement. [40150]
Clare Short:
UK policy towards elimination of barriers to trade for Least Developed Countries is set out in the Government's White Paper on International Development published in November 1997. The UK has taken a lead within Europe and internationally (including through the G8) in pushing for the elimination of tariffs on imports from the least developed countries (LDCs) and for eventual agreement to eliminate tariffs within a bound WTO scheme. A number of member states made commitments to extend their market access for LDCs at the WTO hosted High Level Meeting for LDCs in October last year. Progress will be reviewed at the WTO Ministerial in May this year.
Under the UK Presidency agreement has been reached within the EU to extend market access to the imports of the nine non-ACP LDCs on terms similar to those available under the Lome Convention. The UK see this as a first step and will continue to press for duty-free access to the EU market for all Least Developed Countries. In addition the UK recognises that complex rules of origin can act as a constraint on taking up preferential access. The UK is therefore pressing for an EU commitment to simplify and harmonise the EU preferential origin rules.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made to the (i) WTO, (ii) UNCTAD, (iii) ITC, (iv) IMF, (v) World Bank and (vi) UNDP about the implementation of the Integrated Framework for the co-ordination and delivery of trade-related development co-operation; and if she will make a statement. [40154]
Clare Short:
The Integrated Framework was discussed in the WTO hosted High Level Meeting in October 1997. The Integrated Framework seeks to enhance the effectiveness of trade-related technical assistance in order to promote the integration of Least Developed Countries into the multilateral trading system.
This Government have consistently supported discussion of the Integrated Framework in the senior bodies of the WTO, IMF, UNCTAD, ITC, World Bank and UNDP. Each of these bodies has indicated their support for the Framework and agreed to co-ordinate their efforts in this area. Further, the agencies have agreed to set up an Inter-Agency Working Group and an Administrative Unit to be housed at ITC.
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I believe that good progress had been made on setting up the machinery to operationalise the Integrated Framework and over the coming months, my Department will be working to ensure this is used to design and implement effective country-level programmes.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will raise the issue of the environmental record of the Commission's funded programmes in developing countries at the Development Council meeting in May. [40353]
Clare Short:
My Department continues to work closely with the Commission to promote the full integration of environmental considerations into EC programmes and projects. One of our Presidency priorities is to seek to improve the effectiveness of the EC's development programmes. I will not, however, be raising this issue at the Development Council in May.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what issues are on the agenda for the Development Council meeting in May. [40347]
Clare Short:
The agenda is still under discussion. However, the main items are likely to be:
Mr. Tyler:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she proposes to take in response to the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee of the Northern Ireland Forum on Organophosphate Insecticides-their use by the farming community; and if she will make a statement. [39654]
Mr. Paul Murphy
[holding answer 27 April 1998]: The Forum's report will be considered in the light of the findings of the High Level Officials' Group on Organophosphates. The establishment of that Group was announced in another place by my noble friend, Lord Donoughue, on 13 January 1998. Those findings will be published when Ministers have fully considered them.
(a) The EU's Negotiating Mandate for the successor to the Lome Convention.
(b) Conclusions on follow-up to the 1993 Poverty Resolution.
(c) Conclusions on follow-up to the 1995 Gender Resolution.
(d) Progress Report and Exchange of views on the Evaluation of European Union Development Aid.
(e) Commission Presentation on Indigenous People.
(f) Commission Presentation on Humanitarian Aid.
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