EU RICE IMPORTS

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000602

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE
STATE/EB/TPP/ATP
STATE/EUR/ERA
DEPT PASS TO USTR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD EU LO
SUBJECT: EU RICE IMPORTS


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

REF: STATE 130430

(SBU) ON JUNE 16, POST DELIVERED INFORMATION PER REFTEL TO JAN
POCCI, DIRECTOR OF THE TRADE DEPARTMENT OF THE AGRICULTURE,
FOOD AND TRADE SECTION AT THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, AND
STANISLAV POLONSKY, TRADE COUNSELOR AT THE TRADE SECTION OF
THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY. ALENA VITKOVSKA FROM POCCI'S
DEPARTMENT, WHO REPRESENTS SLOVAKIA IN A WORKING GROUP AT
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION THAT DEALS WITH TRADE-RELATED ISSUES
IN AGRICULTURE TOLD ECONFSN OVER THE PHONE THAT SHE WAS NOT
AWARE OF THE EC INITIATIVE TO REPLACE THE CURRENT MARGIN OF
PREFERENCE SYSTEM FOR RICE WITH TARIFF RATE QUOTA. VITKOVSKA
SAID SHE WOULD BE SURPRISED IF THE EC WANTED TO IMPOSE
QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS AT THE SAME TIME WHEN WTO MEMBER
STATES LAUNCHED NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT FURTHER TRADE
LIBERALIZATION AS PART OF THE DOHA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA.
HOWEVER, THE GOS IS NOT IN A POSITION TO DEVELOP ITS OWN
AGRICULTURE POLICY, BUT RATHER FOLLOWS THE COMMON POLICY OF
THE COMMUNITY. (NOTE: SLOVAKIA'S IMPORTS OF RICE ARE
NEGLIGIBLE.)

WEISER

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