§ Mr. DhandaTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with European partners about the impact on the developing world of EU export subsidies. [186307]
§ Mr. MacShaneDuring the last few months the issue of export subsidies and their impact on developing countries has been raised on a regular basis with our European partners by ministerial colleagues including my right hon. Friends; the Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Secretary of State for International Development and my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs.
The Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs and I attended meetings of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council in the weeks leading up to the WTO Doha Framework Agreement, reached on 1 August 2004, where we strongly supported the European Commission's approach. I am pleased to say that the Framework Agreement provides explicitly for the elimination of all forms of export subsidy, which will greatly benefit developing countries.