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EU Trade Commisioner Phil Hogan. Niall Carson/PA Images

Phil Hogan confirms he's looking to run for the top job in the WTO

A departure by Hogan from the European Commission to the WTO would mean Ireland would have to nominate another commissioner.

IRELAND’S EU TRADE Commissioner Phil Hogan has confirmed that he is looking at the possibility of running for the top job in the World Trade Organization. 

Hogan confirmed the news to reporters in Brussels this afternoon saying that he is “exploring” his candidacy to be director general of the WTO. 

Hogan has been Ireland’s representative in the European Commission since 2014, first as the EU’s Agriculture Commissioner before switching to the Trade portfolio last December. 

A departure by Hogan from the European Commission to the WTO would mean Ireland would have to nominate another commissioner. 

The race to replace Roberto Azevedo as director general of the WTO is expected to be a contest between Africans and Europeans, with the backing of the United States probably decisive in choosing a successor.

Hogan’s run has caught EU diplomats by surprise, coming just seven months after he took office as the EU’s trade commissioner and as trade battles rage with the US.

“I’m exploring the option of being a candidate for the director general of the WTO,” the former environment minister told reporters today.

I think that there is an important amount of work to be done to reform the organisation.

A European source told AFP that Hogan’s candidacy came at the urging of Germany, which is seeking a steady hand to lead the WTO at an especially sensitive time.

Hogan is hoping the EU will agree soon whether to run a single candidate, which would increase Europe’s chances of filling the job. The deadline to announce a candidacy is 8 July.

The WTO has faced an onslaught of criticism by the US under President Donald Trump, who has pushed for reforms of the Geneva-based body he accuses of turning a blind eye to China.

Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s hard-charging trade boss, has successfully crippled the WTO’s dispute settlement court by blocking the appointment of new judges.

Hogan said he has made his possible candidacy known to Lighthizer who “is very much of the view that a developed country should assume the responsibility”.

African countries have meanwhile long insisted it should finally be their turn to head the organisation.

Several African names appear likely to be in the running, including former Egyptian diplomat Hamid Mamdou, who worked with the WTO for years, and Nigeria’s former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

© – AFP 2020 with reporting by Rónán Duffy

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    Mute BRIAN MCCARTHY
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:13 AM

    I left 2 wks ago. Fully vaxed since 17 June. 3* apartment €370 a wk for both of us. €60 meal for 2, inc starters, main and bottle of wine. €1.30 glass of wine €2.50 pint. 28C past 2 wks. Ah sure no, i shouldn’t have.

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    Mute Sophie
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    Jul 19th 2021, 3:17 AM

    @BRIAN MCCARTHY: Only 28, you’d get hotter weather in Ireland

    374
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jul 19th 2021, 6:39 PM

    @Sophie: Things do tend to improve after people leave!

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jul 19th 2021, 1:26 AM

    Leaving on a jet plane? Very memorable song by John Denver, unfortunately many parents will be playing this song in the next few years as there children take flight to a better life. Hopefully iam wrong.

    137
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    Mute iohanx
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:59 AM

    @Paul Gorry:

    That’s been par for course for generations. Many will travel for lots of reasons. Many will come back also to raise a family. Not rocket science. Ireland’s a great country to live in by many standards, why else would so many return etc.

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    Mute James Lough
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:43 AM

    @iohanx: you’re having a laugh – great country to live in by many standards lol. Mica scandal in Donegal, housing shortage, vulture funds buying up estates, government is shambles, cost of living…

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:55 AM

    @James Lough: and no other country has their scandals? Maybe you should try living elsewhere.

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    Mute Paul Quirke
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:25 AM

    @James Lough: There is a jet plane that you can leave on apparently…

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    Mute Tim Quigley
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:51 AM

    @Paul Gorry: what about Garth Brooks ‘If tomorrow never comes’ . You might prefer that one.

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    Mute Stan Papusa
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    Jul 19th 2021, 11:52 AM

    @Paul Furey: That’s false equivalence.
    “Others have [list the issue here] too” doesn’t imply it’s equally bad everywhere. Nor does it mean nothing should be done about it. It’s been used to death whether the subject is covid, cost of living, corruption, healthcare, housing, etc.

    As well as that, it’s time to move past “the door is open, don’t let anyone stop you”. Eastern European governments have had a similar attitude towards their citizens for nearly 40 years, and the effects are sorely felt. Hardly anyone is saying that now…

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    Mute iohanx
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:10 PM

    @James Lough:

    There are 3 kinds of people …

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    Mute James Lough
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    Jul 19th 2021, 1:35 PM

    @Paul Furey: l do live elsewhere lol

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:11 AM

    No Covid-19 digital certificate received, 3 weeks since my 2nd jab not that im flying anywhere anytime soon.

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    Mute Elaine Phelan
    Favourite Elaine Phelan
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    Jul 19th 2021, 6:38 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: you should contact them. I got mine emailed within a week of my 2nd jab. If you registered on the HSE site for the vaccine then it would have been emailed, so check your spam folder first

    55
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    Mute Sarah Heaton
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:09 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: If you got it via the HSE vaccination centres yeah, you should have had it emailed to you by now, so contact them. However, if you got it through your GP (say due to underlying conditions etc) then you’ll be getting a physical “passport” from them rather than the email, and it’s them you’ll need to poke. It’s also likely to be that bit more delayed as they get their own ducks in a row, considering the certs have literally only been available since last Monday.

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    Mute thegreatdefector
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:14 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: check your junk mail. Got mine 4 days after second jab

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:06 AM

    @Sarah Heaton: I got my vaccination through my G.P. Got my covid passport by email last Monday. Bit surprised by that but maybe others should check their mail just in case.

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:09 AM

    @Charles Coughlan: Check your email just in case. I got my vaccination through G.P but covid cert came by email last Monday.

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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:56 AM

    That John Denver song will resonate to a lot of parents over the next few years as there children take flight. Sad.

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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:46 AM

    @Paul Gorry: I encourage my children to travel and live abroad. It makes them more independent and emotionally intelligent. Nothing sad at all about your children exploring the world and understanding other customs and cultures. Living down the road from Mammy all their lives is something I find sad.

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:34 AM

    @SmallbutMighty: Maybe that’s their choice. What’s extremely sad and should concern you more is how many will HAVE to leave. Not by choice but by government who has made it impossible to live here. Taxed to oblivion, never able to have their own home, extortionate rent, lack of childcare, cost of education, inadequate healthcare unless you can pay a fortune for private cover. The list is endless. There’s a lot more important issues facing our children then slinging a back pack on and travelling for fun.

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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:46 AM

    @Franny Ando: those are all problems that face people all over the world. Living abroad whether by choice or necessity has many many positives in the growth of an individual. There’s an awful sense of entitlement in a lot of Irish these days.

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:08 AM

    @SmallbutMighty: Nothing to do with entitlement. Living abroad should never be a necessity because you can’t afford to live in your own country. Highest interest rates, one of the most expensive countries in Europe etc so not quite like others. Emigration should be a choice not a necessity to have a decent life.

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    Mute Joey
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:32 AM

    @Franny Ando: Franny, the woman’s original post relates to experiencing new cultures and growing as an individual. Why did u hijack the post and make it political?

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:20 AM

    @Joey: All for people broading their horizons. Travel is wonderful experience. No need for the disparaging comment about living close to “Mammies”. Not everyone wants to live abroad a lot want to rear their families in their native country. Definitely no one should have to go abroad to have a better life. If you can’t see that many are being forced to leave this country to do that then you are part of the problem.

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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Jul 19th 2021, 11:09 AM

    @Franny Ando: everyone has to do what they have to do to get by. If that means moving abroad to find work, access better education or afford a house so be it. No one is forcing you it is always a choice. It’s a choice that people all over the world make. My original post was referring to the comment trying to trigger fear that everyone’s kids are being forced to leave and it’s all doom and gloom. I’m merely pointing out that emigration is a good thing for personal growth. Its something we should be encouraging our kids to do. Not making them feel they are being forced out because that breeds bitterness which is unhelpful in
    any society.

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    Mute emer mcdonnell
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:05 PM

    @SmallbutMighty: just out of curiosity why do you think its sad if some children are quite happy living their whole lives close to their parents?

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    Mute SmallbutMighty
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    Jul 19th 2021, 5:38 PM

    @emer mcdonnell: because its a big old world out there and over the years I find the people who have travelled or worked abroad are generally more open minded and emotionally intelligent. Nothing wrong with settling at home but before you settle go spend sometime somewhere else. Again I’m referring to the original posters attempt to trigger fear in parents that their kids are being forced out. I’m simply highlighting that emigration does not have to be seen as a negative.

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    Mute David Stapleton
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    Jul 19th 2021, 2:12 AM

    For those thinking of travelling to France, you will soon have to have a QR code or proof of having had covid-19 or a negative PCR test – within the last 3 days, to get into restaurants, cinemas and even supermarkets.

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    Mute lelookcoco
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    Jul 19th 2021, 2:00 PM

    @David Stapleton: Thanks David. Does our EU Covid cert suffice for indoor dining in France?

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    Mute David Stapleton
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    Jul 19th 2021, 2:16 PM

    @lelookcoco: I would think so but that is just my guess. I would check with the relevant government office in Ireland.

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    Mute David Stapleton
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    Jul 19th 2021, 5:52 PM

    @lelookcoco: I have checked here in France as the QR code is now EU wide, I had to go into the App I was using and update the QR code I had already put there. It took all of 5 seconds. I am using the Anticovid app I downloaded from Playstore on my Samsung. From what I can see, the QR code just updates with a country of origin and an option to click on a box if you are crossing borders. It should/might be the same for Ireland. Good luck.

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    Mute whitewater
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    Jul 19th 2021, 9:41 AM

    Left Ireland “illegally” a month ago with about 300 cases. Coming back legally today with over 1000. You couldn’t make this shiz up…

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    Mute Vlad Eire
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:18 AM

    Can’t believe you said “ducks in a row”

    26
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    Mute Jeff Nolan
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:02 AM

    What’s the story with children between 6 and 12 ?

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jul 19th 2021, 12:26 AM

    I’ve the digital Covid cert downloaded to the HSE Covid health check app but there isn’t an option to add it to the wallet? iPhone 11

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    Mute motojack
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:12 AM

    @Brian Hunt: your fecked so stay in ireland is your only option

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    Mute Paul Diskin
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:33 AM

    @Brian Hunt: https://covid19passbook.netlify.app/#scan

    #yourwelcome

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    Mute Paul Diskin
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    Jul 19th 2021, 7:33 AM

    @Brian Hunt: https://covid19passbook.netlify.app/#scan
    Your welcome

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Jul 19th 2021, 8:05 AM

    @Paul Diskin: that’s exactly what i wanted. Thank you

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jul 19th 2021, 6:52 PM

    @Paul Diskin: Thanks for the link. (I backtracked to the link minus the /#scan to find the Import Picture option & used the preview to take a screenshot.) https://covid19passbook.netlify.app/

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    Mute Micheál Ó Conchúir
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    Jul 19th 2021, 10:12 AM

    As expected, the green travel cert helpline is non-functional ;(

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    Mute Stan Papusa
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    Jul 19th 2021, 1:36 PM

    It’s all good news…
    The more are leaving for Spain, Portugal and Italy, the less crowded beaches here will be. Never made sense to me even before covid, but I won’t argue with people…

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    Mute Disillusioned
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    Jul 19th 2021, 5:19 PM

    A little confused if anyone can help, if you have the covid passport do you still need to get a negative test before flight to Spain?

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