UPDATE ON WTO AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATIONS, RTAs AND … · reduction of trade costs and trade...
Transcript of UPDATE ON WTO AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATIONS, RTAs AND … · reduction of trade costs and trade...
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy
UPDATE ON WTO AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATIONS,
RTAs AND FAO'S SUPPORT TO MEMBERS
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 2
Table of Contents
Non exhaustive
• U P D AT E O N W T O A G R I C U LT U R A L N E G O T I AT I O N S
• R E G I O N A L T R A D E A G R E E M E N T S
• FA O ' S S U P P O R T T O M E M B E R S
• S U G G E S T E D A C T I O N B Y T H E C O M M I T T E E
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 3
Outcomes of the MC11 – 1/2
MARKET ACCESS
Tariff peaks, tariff escalation, tariff
simplification, in-quota duties
SAFEGUARDS
Special Agricultural Safeguard (SSG)
and the Special Safeguard
Mechanism (SSM)
COTTON
Cotton trade distorting support
DOMESTIC SUPPORT
Limitation to the use of OTDS,
reduction or elimination of the AMS
entitlements for developed countries
PUBLIC STOCKHOLDING
Elements for a permanent solution on
PSH for food security purposes
EXPORT RESTRICTIONS
Transparency issues and exemption
clauses
Many negotiating proposals were submitted in the run up to the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference
(Buenos Aires, Argentina, 10-13 December 2017)
Non exhaustive
Tariff peaks, tariff escalation, tariff
simplification, in-quota duties
Special Agricultural Safeguard (SSG)
and the Special Safeguard
Mechanism (SSM)
Cotton trade distorting support
Transparency issues and exemption
clauses
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 4
Non exhaustive
DECLARATION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
AN INFORMAL WTO WORK PROGRAMME
FOR MSMEs
Intention to create an Informal Working
Group to discuss issues such as the
reduction of trade costs and trade
promotion
JOINT STATEMENT ON ELECTRONIC
COMMERCE
Intention to initiate exploratory work
toward future WTO negotiations on
trade related aspects of electronic
commerce
INVESTMENT FACILITATION FOR
DEVELOPMENT
Call for structured discussions to
develop a multilateral framework on
investment facilitation
Groups of countries issued Joint Statements proposing additional areas for future work as part of the WTO negotiations
Members agreed on four Ministerial decisions on various trade issues, including fisheries subsidies, but they did not reach any
agreement on the agricultural issues discussed
MOREOVER
Outcomes of the MC11 – 2/2
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 5
Non exhaustive
Consultations with Members
Informal meetings of the Special Session of the WTO Committee on
Agriculture
Submission to Members of relevant documents and information prepared
by other multilateral organizations, such as FAO
Ensuring substantial progress
in agricultural trade
negotiations at the WTO
NEW CHAIR’S OBJECTIVE NEW CHAIR’S WORKING PLAN
Apr 2017 Apr 2018
Stephen Ndung'u
Karau (Kenya)
Vangelis Vitalis (New
Zealand)
Nov 2011 Sep 2015
John Adank (New
Zealand)
David Walker
(New Zealand)
Sep 2003 Apr 2009 …
Crawford
Falconer (New Zealand)
RECENT CoA-SS CHAIRS: TIMELINE
John Ronald
Dipchandra (Deep)
Ford (Guyana)
New Chairperson of the WTO CoA-SS
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 6
Non exhaustive
• U P D AT E O N W T O A G R I C U LT U R A L N E G O T I AT I O N S
• R E G I O N A L T R A D E A G R E E M E N T S
• FA O ' S S U P P O R T T O M E M B E R S
• S U G G E S T E D A C T I O N B Y T H E C O M M I T T E E
Table of Contents
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 7
Source: FAO, WTO
RTAs are trade agreements of a mutually preferential nature.
They include bilateral, regional and inter-regional free trade
agreements (FTAs), economic unions, customs unions, and
common markets
LEGAL BASIS
Article 24 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) and the Enabling Clause
DEFINITION
GLOBAL TRENDS
Since the 90’s, the number of RTAs notified to the WTO has
grown from approximately 50 to 287 currently in force
Since the last Session of the CCP, 22 RTAs including agri-
related provisions were notified to the WTO
Between 2007 and 2012, agri-trade within RTAs grew by
8.2 percent per year, while agri-trade outside RTAs grew by
3.3 percent
TREATMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN RTAs
Tariff reduction: In general
WTO-plus (sensitive sectors
exceptions)
SPS / TBT: often deeper
commitments that the WTO
ones
Agricultural safeguards: often
deviate from WTO rules to
cover limited number of
products
Export prohibitions and
restrictions: usually reaffirm
rights and obligations of the
WTO rules
Focus in the
Next slide
Non exhaustive
Regional Trade Agreements – 1/3
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 8
Source: FAO, WTO
RTA notified to the WTO since last CCP, containing agri provisions Date of Notification
China – Georgia 05-Apr-18
El Salvador – Ecuador 22-Mar-18
Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) – Egypt 19-Feb-18
Hong Kong, China - Macao, China 18-Dec-17
European Union – Canada 19-Sep-17
Canada – Ukraine 13-Sep-17
Chile – Thailand 12-Sep-17
EFTA – Georgia 29-Aug-17
Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) - Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 19-Jul-17
India – Thailand 18-Jun-17
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) - Viet Nam 04-May-17
Central American Common Market (CACM) - Accession of Panama 24-Apr-17
European Union – Ghana 03-Apr-17
European Union - Southern African Development Community (SADC) 03-Apr-17
Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova (GUAM) 03-Apr-17
European Union - Colombia and Peru - Accession of Ecuador 02-Mar-17
Turkey – Malaysia 20-Feb-17
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) - Accession of Egypt 03-Jan-17
Turkey – Moldova 13-Dec-16
Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) 03-Nov-16
Costa Rica – Colombia 31-Oct-16
South Korea – Colombia 05-Oct-16
Regional Trade Agreements – 2/3
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 9
Source: FAO
The CPTPP was signed on 8 March 2018 by Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile,
Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Viet Nam
The Agreement to establish the CFTA was signed on 21 March 2018 by 44
African countries
RTAs SIGNED
African Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA)
Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-
Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Agreement
CFT
A
Gradually liberalizing tariffs and
reducing non-tariff barriers,
including in agri-trade
OBJECTIVES
The CFTA needs the ratification of a
minimum of 22 countries to enter
into force
RATIFICATION
IMPLEMENTATION
The Agreement includes protocols
covering trade in goods, trade in
services, and a dispute settlement
mechanism, as well as a set of
annexes
STRUCTURE
Countries also agreed on a
“Transition and Implementation
Work Program” with the aim of
finalizing their respective schedules
of commitments for both goods and
services, as part of a built-in
agenda, by 2019
SIN
CE
LAS
T C
CP
Regional Trade Agreements – 3/3
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 10
Non exhaustive
• U P D AT E O N W T O A G R I C U LT U R A L N E G O T I AT I O N S
• R E G I O N A L T R A D E A G R E E M E N T S
• FA O ' S S U P P O R T T O M E M B E R S
• S U G G E S T E D A C T I O N B Y T H E C O M M I T T E E
Table of Contents
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 11
PROVIDING INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS FOSTERING CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FACILITATING DIALOGUE
FAO/WTO publication on Trade and
Food Standards
In the run up to the MC11, FAO provided
a series of Trade Policy Briefs aimed at
broadening and deepening the
understanding of key issues related to
WTO negotiations on agriculture
Publication of five technical notes and
policy briefs on various aspects,
including a technical note on trade and
nutrition and food security
Trade-related capacity development in
the Europe and Central Asia region
through the Regional Initiative on Agri-
food Trade and Market Integration
Work with stakeholders in Eastern and
Southern Africa to improve policy
coherence between trade and
agriculture and boost trade-related
capacities through a series of targeted
trainings and regional dialogues
Delivery of facilitated e-learning
courses in Africa, and Europe and
Central Asia
Meetings in Argentina on agricultural
trade negotiations in preparation for
the MC11
High-level event on "Trade and the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development”, organized in Rome
under the auspices of the CCP
Panel at the margins of MC11 on “Agri-
Food Trade, Climate Change and
Achieving the SDGs”
Workshop in Uzbekistan on the impact
on agri-food trade stemming from the
conclusion of the TFA
Non exhaustive
FAO’s support to Members on trade agreements
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 12
Non exhaustive
• U P D AT E O N W T O A G R I C U LT U R A L N E G O T I AT I O N S
• R E G I O N A L T R A D E A G R E E M E N T S
• FA O ' S S U P P O R T T O M E M B E R S
• S U G G E S T E D A C T I O N B Y T H E C O M M I T T E E
Table of Contents
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 13
THE COMMITTEE IS INVITED TO
Take note of the developments with regard to the WTO agricultural
negotiations and RTAs
Emphasize the role that agricultural trade can play as an enabler to achieve
the SDGs, and particularly SDG 2 on ending hunger, ensuring food security
and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture
Underline the importance of multilateralism and the need to promote a
universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral
trading system that is conducive to world food security, improved nutrition
and sustainable agricultural development
Suggested action by the Committee
72nd Session Committee on Commodity Problems26 – 28 September | FAO - Rome, Italy 14
THANK YOU!