THE director general of the World Trade Organisation, Mr Renato Ruggiero, has strongly rejected suggestions that the globalisation of trade was costing jobs in Ireland.
The benefits of the growing number of free trade agreements to the Republic have also been defended by EU vice-president Sir Leon Brittan, who said they have worked to provide new opportunities for all European companies.
Speaking after an informal meeting of EU trade ministers in Dublin yesterday, Mr Ruggiero said multilateral trade arrangements were normally an "engine for growth", helping to create rather than lose jobs.
The loss of 870 jobs in Dublin and Tipperary this week, he said, was an "unfortunate case" and was more a matter for the Irish Government or the European Union.
Sir Leon said that while the job losses were regrettable, it should be remembered that Ireland has been one of the main beneficiaries, in terms of increased jobs and export growth, of free trade.
Mr Ruggiero also said that the WTO was prepared to step into an international row over US trade legislation. The dispute over Washington's move to block trade with Cuba, Iran and he said, looked likely to be brought to the WTO for arbitration. "I don't want to see it, but I think it will happen", he said.
Mr Ruggiero said the WTO was the right forum for the settling of such disputes, saying it was precisely what the organisation was for. "Some think that if there is a dispute, you should blame the WTO. But the fact that the WTO is where the disputes are heard shows that it is working," he said.
The EU and US have been at odds for months over the Helms-Burton Act which would penalise non-US companies for trading with Cuba. The European Commission is considering bringing its objections to the legislation to the WTO.
The EU trade ministers' meeting was held to prepare for the first ministerial conference of the WTO to be held in Singapore in December.
After the meeting, Mr Ruggiero said it was important to keep the agenda focused on the progress the organisation had made in wrapping up global deals left over from its predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
He said new issues, such as labour standards and environmental concerns, should be put aside or tackled at a different forum.
He also called on the EU to send a "strong political signal" to developing nations at the Singapore meeting to encourage them to further open their markets. He warned the EU against pushing controversial issues too far, saying this could alienate developing nations.
