tement accelerated the rate of tariff reductions, establishing a comprehensive schedule whereby most tariffs were reduced to 5% by 1996, and the Howard government projected tariff plans for beyond the year 2000, with a freeze on tariff levels until 2005, and a reduction to zero for all tariffs by 2010. This lowering of tariffs; a microeconomic reform, forces domestic industries to become more efficient and productive, and thus more competitive.
             In addition to these unique unilateral reductions in protection Australia is actively pursuing multilateral and bilateral trade agreements. Australia, as a small economy with a high level of agricultural and mining trade, suffers particular hardships as a result of the protectionist policies of other nations and international organisations such as the European Union, which for several decades has subsidised agriculture through the Common Agricultural Policy. The United States has similarly subsidised its agriculture in response to the EU subsidies. However, progress in multilateral agreements has been disappointing in recent years. Many of the highly protectionist agricultural nations have taken advantage of complex loopholes in the WTO in order to avoid genuinely freeing up trade. For example, countries were required to make an average 36% cut in agricultural protection under the Uruguay round of GATT in 1994. Instead of making across the board cuts, these nations made large !
             cuts to goods they hardly traded at all, leaving protection on their major trade items virtually unchanged. Australia, which has relied heavily on the multilateral system to secure the best possible markets, has expressed deep concern at this:
             "We express deep concern and regret at attempts to slow down progress in the liberalisation of trade through complicated and unnecessary discussions and through the unfair practices of several nations"
             (Minister for Trade, the Hon Mark Vaile MP, Melbourne Dec 1999)
             Also, ...