In the WTO negotiations on trade in
agriculture there is therefore the need to acknowledge and secure
the continued existence of various types of agriculture based on
each country's specific production conditions and potential and
historical and cultural background.
The broad objective of the
conference was to provide a forum for discussion among developing
and developed countries on non-trade concerns (NTCs). Subjects
treated covered the specific and multifunctional characteristics of
agriculture, agriculture's contribution to rural development, food
security, environment and cultural diversity, and the need for
flexibility in national policy design to address non-trade
concerns, both from a developed and developing country
perspective.
The European Commission and the
governments of Japan, Mauritius, Norway, the Republic of Korea and
Switzerland hosted the conference, which was attended by another 34
developing and developed countries and economies in transition,
including least-developed countries and small island developing
states. The discussions initiated at this conference will be
pursued in further meetings during the WTO negotiations on
agriculture.
Chairmen's Summaries of the Discussion
Conference participants examined 6 discussion
papers.
The
first paper, presented by Switzerland,
covered the specific characteristics of agriculture and the need to
treat agriculture separately within WTO. According to Mr. Sverre
Kvakkestad, Chairperson of this Session, participants recognised
the specific characteristics of agriculture. It was recognised that
the special situation of agriculture is related to the fact that
food is a unique and most essential commodity in every society. In
addition to food security, agriculture plays a key role in ensuring
the viability of rural areas, biological and cultural diversity and
other important policy objectives. Each country has a right to
preserve an agricultural sector necessary to meet these objectives.
It was acknowledged that these specific and multifunctional
characteristics of agriculture must be taken into account in
further trade reform within WTO.
The
second paper, presented
by the European Commission, examined agriculture’s contribution to
rural development. Mr. Masanori Hayashi, Chairperson of this
Session, found the discussion very stimulating. Participants
stressed that farming is an essential part of rural society from
not only an economic but also social and other diverse viewpoints
in many countries and in many regions in developed and developing
countries as well as in countries in transition. Countries should
have the right to pursue rural development policies in which
agriculture plays a key role. The need for necessary flexibility
was stressed given the diverse nature of agriculture.
The
third paper, presented by
Japan and the Republic of Korea, covered food security and the role
of domestic agricultural production. In the view of Mr. Luzius
Wasescha, Chairperson of this Session, the debate on food security
illustrated the diversities of agricultural situations and policies
in least developed countries, developing countries, small island
developing states, economies in transition and developed
countries. Food security has to ensure at least the supply of
essential commodities and can be best obtained by a combination of
domestic production, imports and stockholding. In this context the
impact of new production methods and possibilities for transfer of
technology should be examined also in a WTO context. Given the
challenge of demographic evolution in many countries, a dynamic
approach to the issue of food security is required.
The
fourth paper, introduced
by the European Commission, covered agriculture’s contribution to
environmentally and culturally related non-trade concerns.
According to Mr. Yong Kyu Choi, Chairperson of this Session,
participants stressed that today's agricultural systems can promote
environmental value by maintaining valued landscapes, conserving
biodiversity, protecting people from the effects of certain natural
disasters and protecting historical features. The provision of
these environmental services is unlikely to be assured by market
forces alone. Therefore, WTO rules should give flexibility to
governments to implement appropriate policies. These policies
should be targeted, have clear objectives, be administered in a
transparent manner, and they should also be, at most, no more than
minimally trade-distorting.
The
fifth paper, presented by
Mauritius, examined developing countries and non-trade concerns.
According to Mr. David F. Roberts, Chairperson of this Session, the
key points arising in the paper and the discussion were that
policies in agriculture and in particular trade liberalisation have
to be viewed in the context of all the multilateral commitments
entered into by sovereign nations. Non-trade concerns are vital for
developing countries and least developed countries. Annex II (the
Green Box) is affordable to the developed world but not to all
developing countries who may therefore have to have access to other
appropriate measures.
The
sixth paper, introduced
by Norway, covered the need for flexibility in national policy
design to address non-trade concerns. Mr. Dhurmahdass Baichoo,
Chairperson of this Session, emphasised in his summary that in the
WTO agricultural policy reform process based on Article 20, all
Members, both developing and developed, must be given sufficient
flexibility and room for manoeuvre in national agricultural policy
design to ensure a viable domestic agricultural sector with
domestic production required to properly address NTCs. In doing so,
the specific situation of each country, including national
priorities and production conditions, must be duly taken into
account. With respect to policy measures, it was stressed that, in
many cases, Green Box measures alone will not be sufficient to
address NTCs. For instance, border measures are often needed.
Moreover, in case of developing countries, market access, including
preferences, is important. Furthermore, technical and financial
assistance to overcome supply side constraints is required.
The
Chairpersons can be
reached at the following phone numbers:
- Session 1: Mr. Sverre Kvakkestad, Deputy Director,
Ministry of Agriculture, Norway, phone ++ 47 22 24 92 04
- Session 2: Mr. Masanori Hayashi, Director General,
International Affairs Dep., Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fishery, Japan, phone ++ 81 3 35 91 67 59
- Session 3: Mr. Luzius Wasescha, Ambassador, State
Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Switzerland, phone ++ 41 31 322
23 33
- Session 4: Mr. Yong Kyu Choi, Director General,
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Republic of Korea, phone ++
82 25 03 72 90
- Session 5: Mr. Mr. David F. Roberts, Deputy Director General,
DG Agriculture of the European Commission, phone ++ 32 2 295 33
05
- Session 6: Mr. Dhurmahdass Baichoo, Ambassador of
Mauritius to UN and WTO, Geneva, phone ++ 41 22 734 85 50
Program
