Project to support Developing Countries in WTO NAMA Negotiations.
This note presents a brief assessment of individual elements of the NAMA section of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration and highlights possible strategies available to developing country negotiators in the aftermath of Hong Kong. (more…)
State of Play in the WTO Agriculture Negotiations: Country Groupings’ Positions – December 2005 Update.
The present note provides an overview of the position of various countries and group of countries active in the WTO agriculture negotiations, with respect to the critical issues under discussion. (more…)
Problems and Policy Challenges faced by Commodity-Dependent Developing Countries.
This note presents the commodity problems and their implications for Commodity Dependent Developing Countries (CDDCs); (ii) identifies the underlying causes of these problems and (iii) examines some of the major policy approaches used in the past to deal with them, their merits and limitations. (more…)
Observations on the Proposal for a New Peace Clause.
This T.R.A.D.E. Analysis seeks to assist developing countries in discussions on the proposal to re-introduce a Peace Clause. It examines WTO dispute settlement developments after the expiry of the old Peace Clause and suggests possible trade-offs if developing countries decide to accept a new Peace Clause. (more…)
Supply-side Measures for Raising Low Farm-Gate Prices of Tropical Beverage Commodities.
This year has seen how governments and individuals can respond with immense energy and generosity to relieve the suffering of people caught up in natural disasters. The man-made crisis affecting the markets of tropical commodities is every bit as devastating as any of these disasters, yet not only is there very little being done to address the problem but very few people are even aware of it. (more…)
Remunerating Commodity Producers in Developing Countries: Regulating Concentration in Commodity Markets.
The past few decades have seen a huge surge in international trade that has affected developing countries as well as the world’s largest economies. However, while some countries have seen an associated increase in wealth, others seem to have been left behind. (more…)
Overview of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures in Quad Countries on Tropical Fruits and Vegetables Imported from Developing Countries.
A number of developing countries,1 and especially least developed countries (LDCs), rely on agriculture for their food security, export earnings and rural development. It has been estimated that the agricultural sector accounts for between 30 per cent and 60 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) for many of these countries, and is the major source of foreign exchange. (more…)
State of Play in Agriculture Negotiations: Country Groupings’ Positions.
The purpose of the present note is to provide an overview of the position of various countries and group of countries active in the WTO agriculture negotiations with respect to critical issues under discussion. (more…)
Current Trends in Organic Agriculture Markets and Their Implications for Farmers.
The market for organic agricultural products grew steadily during the nineties with global sales estimated at US$ 25 billion in 2003. The projected impressive growth of demand for organic products in the industrialised countries,notably the United States, European Union and Japan constitute an important pull factor for the increase in the production and international trade of organic agricultural products. (more…)
From Doha to the July 2004 Framework Package.
On 31 July 2004, the WTO General Council decided to establish a framework for continued negotiations under the Doha Work Programme set out in the Doha Ministerial Declaration (DMD, WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1) of 2001. This note seeks to present a content analysis of the WTO General Council Decision of 31 July 2004 (WT/GC/W/535). (more…)
Comments on the WTO Secretariat’s Paper – Tariff Reductions for Agricultural Products: Some Simulations of the Operation of the Blended Formula (JOB(04)/1).
One of the most contentious issues in agriculture negotiations is the blended approach for market access presented in the proposed framework on agriculture in the Draft Ministerial Declaration produced by the Chairman of the Cancun Conference on 13 September 2003. (more…)
Note on the expiry of the Peace Clause: some elements for consideration by developing countries.
According to Art. 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture the reform process should continue through new negotiations which started in the year 2000. Although progress has been achieved in understanding the positions and concerns of members, no concrete result can be presented so far. (more…)
