Eighth
Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture
Report by the Chairperson, Ambassador Apiradi Tantraporn, to the General Council
1. The Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture, which was established by the General Council to conduct the negotiations for continuing the reform process under Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture (WT/GC/M/53, paragraph 39 refers), held its eighth meeting on 28 September 2001 on the basis of the agenda as set out in WTO/AIR/1612.
2. The meeting provided an opportunity for reviewing the work being carried out under the programme for the second phase of the negotiations. Under this programme in-depth work is being carried out in informal Special Sessions on all issues and options for policy reform set out in Members’ proposals, with further elaboration as appropriate (G/AG/NG/7, dated 29 March 2001, refers). An overview presented by the Chairperson summarized the discussions at the informal Special Sessions held in May, July and September on the following trade and non-trade issues: (i) tariff quota administration; (ii) tariffs; (iii) Amber Box; (iv) export subsidies; (v) export credits; (vi) state trading enterprises; (vii) export restrictions; (ix) food security; (x) food safety; (xi) rural development; (xii) geographical indications; (xiii) Green Box; (xiv) Blue Box; and (xv) special agricultural safeguard. This overview will be included in the Secretariat summary report on the meeting (to be issued as G/AG/NG/R/8). The elaborated proposals and other informal papers submitted at these three informal Special Sessions are listed in the attachment to this report.
3. The following trade or non-trade issues are to be taken up at the next informal Special Session meeting on 3-5 December: environment, trade preferences, food aid, consumer information and labelling, and sectoral initiatives.
4. The next formal Special Session is scheduled to be held on 7 December 2001.
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Elaborated Proposals and Other Informal
Papers * May, July and September 2001 Informal Special Sessions
I. Tariff Quota Administration
Australia: Paper on Tariff Quota Administration
Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Kenya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and
Zimbabwe: Tariff Rate Quotas
European Communities: Views of the EC on Tariff Rate Quotas Administration Japan: Questions on TRQ Administration Switzerland: Administration of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ) — The Case for Auctioning
II. Tariffs
Australia: Paper on Tariffs Japan: Paper on Tariff Quota Commitment Japan: Questions on Tariff Mercosur, Chile and Bolivia: Paper on Market Access: Ensuring the Continuity of the Reform Process
III. Amber Box
Australia: Paper on Amber Box Support European Communities: Amber Box — Views of the EC Japan: Questions on Amber Box
IV. Special and Differential Treatment
Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Venezuela and Zimbabwe: Special and Differential Treatment in Agriculture — “Establishing the Objectives”
V. Export Subsidies
Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and
Suriname: Domestic Support and Export Competition Cairns Group: Export Subsidies Israel: Export Subsidies Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: Export Enhancing Measures — Export Subsidies Japan: Questions on Export Subsidies Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Venezuela and Zimbabwe: Export Subsidies Switzerland: Export Subsidies: Modalities for Further Commitments to Reduce Export Subsidies
VI. Export Credits
Australia: Export Credits European Communities: Export Credits Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: Export Enhancing Measures — Export Credits Japan: Questions on Export Credits United States: Export Credit Guarantee Programmes
VII. State Trading Enterprises
Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: State Trading Enterprises Japan: Questions on State Trading Enterprises United States: Disciplines on Export State Trading Enterprises United States: Disciplines on Import State Trading Enterprises
VIII. Export Restrictions
Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: Export Prohibitions and Restrictions Japan: Questions on Export Restrictions United States: Disciplines on Export Taxes
IX. Food Security
Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Kenya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and
Zimbabwe: Food Security Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: International Environment Surrounding Agricultural Trade and Food Security Japan: Questions on Food Security Peru: Food Security United States: Food Security
X. Food Safety
European Communities: Food Safety Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: Consumers’ Concern on Food Safety and Quality
XI. Rural Development
Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Kenya, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and
Zimbabwe: Rural Development Cyprus: Rural Development Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: Importance of Agriculture in Rural Areas (Rural Development) Japan: Questions on Rural Development Norway: Rural Development
XII. Geographical Indications
European Communities: Geographical Indications Japan: Questions on Geographical Indications Switzerland: Geographical Indications and Agriculture
XIII. Green Box
Argentina: Green Box Measures: Approach for a Work Programme Cyprus: Green Box Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Kenya, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and
Zimbabwe: Green Box European Communities: Green Box Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: Domestic Support (Green Box) Japan: Questions on Green Box Namibia: Elaboration of Namibia’s Negotiating Proposal: Green Box Measures
XIV. Blue Box
Cairns Group: Blue Box Japan: Questions on Blue Box
XV. Special Agricultural Safeguard
Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, the Philippines and Thailand: Special and Differential Treatment for Developing Countries: Transitional Instruments to Expeditiously Countervail Subsidized Imports
(SDCM) Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Kenya, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Senegal, Sri Lanka and
Zimbabwe: “An Appropriate Safeguard Mechanism for Developing Countries” Japan: Elaboration of Japan’s Negotiating Proposal: A New Safeguard Measure Japan: Questions on Special Agricultural Safeguard Namibia: Elaboration of Namibia’s Negotiating Proposal: Special Agricultural Safeguard Norway: Special Safeguards Switzerland: WTO Agreement on Agriculture — Special Safeguard
* Copies of these informal papers are available, in the working languages, in the informal document series:
SS(INF)AG/1 to 3.
EDITOR’S
NOTE: These informal documents are restricted. To see an unofficial
summary of the proposals and discussion go to the backgrounder
on the negotiations and look for
“Phase 2”. > back to text
