HL Deb 19 May 2004 vol 661 cc87-8WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they support the proposals by the European Union Trade Commissioner to end subsidies on food and agricultural exports.[HL2774]

Lord Whitty

The Government are committed to the Doha Development Agenda objective to secure substantial reductions in trade-distorting support, including negotiations with a view to phasing out all forms of export subsidy.

We therefore warmly welcome the initiative of the European Union's Trade and Agriculture Commissioners in writing to their World Trade Organisation colleagues, including the offer to move on export subsidies in parallel with other WTO members, as part of a balanced framework for agriculture.