ACP Refresher, October 2018

Title:              African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Refresher: WTO Agriculture Negotiations

Date:              17 October 2018

Venue:           WTO Room XX,  William Rappard Centre, Geneva, Switzerland

The Doha Declaration Paragraph 13 further established the negotiations mandated under  Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  Members recommitted to address the sectoral issues with the aim to “establish a fair and market-oriented trading system through a programme of fundamental reform encompassing strengthened rules and specific commitments on support and protection in order to correct imbalances and prevent restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets”. The declaration also recognized the needs of developing countries, and emphasized the need to integrate as appropriate, special and differential treatment. To achieve long-term objectives, Members agreed to tackle the issue along three main pillars: substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support.

Much work has been done since the outset of the negotiations. Several proposals were submitted, and important decisions were taken, notably at the Ministerials in Bali and Nairobi. Nevertheless, impasses remain to conclude negotiations and achieve the mandate to remove all trade distorting domestic supports, among other objectives.  The primary purpose of this refresher is to address the current state of play, provide background for new delegates, and consider possible ways to move the negotiations forward. This meeting will also serve as a platform for various ACP delegates to discuss and share their perspectives, while considering the current state of play in the negotiations with the Group’s interests and positions.

Presentation – Agriculture Negotations