§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has(a) made to the United States Government to secure a lifting of the import sanctions on United Kingdom products and (b) received from the Government of the United States of America following the imposition of trade sanctions on United Kingdom and European Union export products. [79157]
§ Mr. WilsonI have been asked to reply.
As it is an external trade matter, responsibility for making representations to the United States over the EU/US banana dispute rests primarily with the European Commission, on behalf of the European Union. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have also made a number of representations direct to the US Administration in the course of this dispute. In particular, the Secretary of State summoned the US Ambassador on 4 March to protest about the unauthorised American action of withholding liquidation on a range of UK and EU export products. For its part, the United States has made known its views on the banana dispute direct to HM Government on a number of occasions, including on 4 March.