As World Trade Organisation negotiations approach a critical stage NFU President Peter Kendall has expressed his concerns about recent calls for a deal on agricultural issues at any cost.
In a speech at Harlow Agricultural Merchants' dinner today, Mr Kendall will be highlighting his concerns about the negotiations focusing on agriculture rather than covering all sectors.
Speaking before the dinner he said: "Recent calls for an 'agriculture-only' deal single out agriculture and fail to recognise the need for a rounded and balanced deal covering all economic sectors for the round to deliver a fair and positive outcome.
"I also view with special concern the intransigent position of certain parties that choose to ignore the radical policy reform already undertaken at the EU level and the impact it has had on our farmers. While I am fully aware that tariff reduction is part of any liberalisation process, it needs to be put into context.
He further highlighted that EU concessions would need to be balanced by concessions from other parties and by enough flexibility in the final deal.
"The negotiating parties must recognise that the current EU offer already implies an average level of cuts in agricultural tariffs that would exceed the reduction on industrial tariffs undertaken in any of the previous trade rounds. It would be completely unacceptable if such a generous offer is not counterbalanced by concessions to be made by other parties.
"Any final deal must incorporate enough flexibility to ensure that the specific circumstances of those sectors potentially more severely impacted, such as beef and poultry, are fully taken into account in any final deal.
"Also, it cannot be forgotten that any EU concessions on tariffs and export subsidies would need to lead to concessions by other parties in terms of reduction of trade-distorting domestic support and other forms of export assistance such as food aid, preferential export terms and support for State Trading Enterprises. A WTO deal cannot be achieved at any cost and other countries, most notably the US, will need to show their commitment to trade by changing their policies as well," he said.