HC Deb 07 November 2000 vol 356 cc183-4W
Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment of the impact on ACP producers of rice, sugar, rum and bananas of the European Commission's Everything but Arms initiative which seeks to extend duty and quota free access to the EU market to 48 least developed countries. [136824]

Clare Short

I have been asked to reply.

The Government support the European Commission's initiative and recognise the need to consider carefully the potential impact of the proposal on non-Least Developed Countries Africa, Caribbean and Pacific producers. Much depends on the ability of LDCs to respond to the new incentives but the build up of exports is likely to take time. Initial reform of the EU internal sugar and rice regimes is likely to take place over the next few years under pressure from international trade liberalisation agreements.