[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 27 (Thursday, March 4, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H833]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CALLING FOR CHANGES IN EUROPEAN UNION'S AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDY PROGRAMS

  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, it is high time for the European Union to 
face the reality that it must eliminate its destructive agricultural 
export subsidies. This Member commends U.S. Trade Representative Robert 
Zoellick for emphasizing this message during his recent visit to 
Geneva. As Ambassador Zoellick correctly noted, such action is one of 
the keys to reaching an international ag trade agreement.
  The EU's outrageous use of export subsidies hurts U.S. farmers, 
distorts international trade, and harms developing countries. If the EU 
would end its export subsidies, this Member is confident that the U.S. 
would be more than willing to eliminate its much smaller export 
subsidies. It should be noted that the American export subsidies are 
only used occasionally as a shot across the bow of the EU for the third 
country export markets.
  This Member believes the American agriculture community is willing to 
make certain changes in the current domestic subsidy program as well, 
as long as it is accompanied by meaningful subsidy reforms in the EU as 
well as in Japan and Korea.
  Mr. Speaker, real change in the European Union's agriculture export 
subsidy programs, and especially its elimination of their ag export 
subsidies, would be of great benefit to farmers and consumers around 
the world.

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