Draft General Council decision on
Moving AGRICULTURE negotiations forward
submission from BRAZIL*
Revision
The following submission, dated 11 July 2024, is being circulated at
the request of the delegation of Brazil in connection with the item
"Moving Agriculture Negotiations Forward – Draft Decision", which
will be inscribed in the agenda of the forthcoming General Council meeting in
July.
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Draft
General Council decision
The General Council,
Emphasizing the critical role that a rules-based, non-discriminatory, open,
fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent multilateral trading system with the
WTO at its core can play in addressing contemporary challenges faced by the
food and agricultural systems including climate change and its impacts;
Expressing our deep concern that the share of people facing hunger in the
world was around 9% of the global population, concentrated predominantly in
developing countries, including least developed countries (LDCs), as recently
estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
and our understanding that the improvement of the situation demands the
promotion of domestic production and of trade;
Underscoring our determination to make progress towards the achievement of a
fair, equitable and market-oriented agricultural trading system, and to ensure Members'
ability to develop policy tools to ending hunger, achieving food security and
improved nutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture and food systems, and
promoting the adoption of resilient agricultural practices that enhance
productivity and production in fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal 2 of
the United Nations, taking into account the interests of small-scale food and
agriculture producers in developing countries;
Reiterating our commitment to take concrete steps to facilitate trade and
improve the functioning and long-term resilience of global markets for food and
agriculture, with a view to enhancing global food security and ensuring that
the agriculture sector continues to make a positive contribution to addressing
contemporary sustainability challenges;
Noting with concern the limited progress to date on most agriculture
negotiating issues from the Uruguay Round and subsequent Ministerial Mandates and
recognizing that much work remains to be done to successfully to achieve
tangible progress and balanced outcomes by the Fourteenth Session (MC14) to be
held in Cameroon and to conclude the negotiations;
Reiterating that trade, along with domestic production, plays a vital role in
improving global food security in all its dimensions and enhancing nutrition;
and emphasizing that progress in the negotiations will contribute to enhancing
global food security;
Decides that:
1._
Members commit to
continue the agriculture negotiations in accordance with the reform objective
of Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and subsequent Ministerial
and other Decisions on agriculture. Members shall accordingly make all concerted
efforts towards achieving tangible progress and balanced outcomes in the
negotiations by the Fourteenth Session (MC14).
2._
Members
acknowledge the Report prepared by the Chairperson of the Special Session of
the Committee on Agriculture (CoA-SS) under his responsibility[1], which summarizes the
state of play in the negotiations towards MC13. Members welcome the work done
by the CoA-SS as reflected in the Chairperson's Report and commit to revitalize
and intensify the negotiations. The negotiations shall build on the work
undertaken thus far and be based on discussions among Members, and their
existing and future submissions.
3._
Members reiterate
the importance of predictable agricultural and input markets and of
facilitating trade in these products, including by reducing the time and
procedural costs related to their importation and exportation, in conformity
with WTO agreements. Members may also consider discussing the role and impact
of trade-restrictive measures, with a view to enhancing their transparency and
predictability and minimizing negative consequences and risks for exporters and
importers.
4._
Members recall the
work undertaken by the Committee on Agriculture (CoA), including under
paragraph 8 of the Ministerial Declaration on the Emergency Response to Food
Insecurity in relation to the needs of Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing
Developing Countries (NFIDCs) and recognize the importance of policy
instruments to increase agricultural production and productivity, meet food
security needs and also address the special needs and interests of small-scale
food and agriculture producers in developing countries, especially NFIDCs and
LDCs.
5._
Members recognize
the importance of the implementation of existing notification and transparency
obligations under Article 18 of the AoA to provide notifications in a timely
and comprehensive manner. Members agree to review in the CoA the notification
requirements and formats specified in _G/AG/2 to facilitate timely
access to clear and relevant information by Members, taking into account the
capacity constraints of developing country Members. The WTO Secretariat shall
provide technical assistance to Members facing capacity constraints in fulfilling
their notification and transparency requirements, at their request.
6._
Members reaffirm
their commitment to ensure an effective implementation and monitoring of the
Nairobi Ministerial Decision on Export Competition (_WT/MIN(15)/45-WT/L/980), including by reviewing
and exploring ways in the CoA to update the existing transparency requirements,
by making best efforts to improve the response rate to the export competition
questionnaire, and by exploring ways to enhance the transparency of the
implementation of the specific provisions therein for LDCs and NFIDCs. This
takes into account the capacity constraints of developing country Members.
7._
Special and
differential treatment for developing countries shall be an integral part of
the negotiations, so as to contribute to developing countries to effectively
address their development needs. Consideration will be given to exempting LDCs
from undertaking reduction commitments.[2] The nontrade concerns of
Members shall be taken into account in the negotiations.
DOMESTIC SUPPORT
8._
Members commit to
pursue and intensify negotiations on domestic support, with a view to reducing
substantially and progressively trade-distorting support in a fair and
equitable manner, to encourage a shift towards less trade-distorting support,
and improving disciplines in accordance with the reform objective in the AoA
within a reasonable implementation period to be agreed by Members. These
negotiations shall preserve developing country Members' ability to assist
agricultural and rural development, including to assist low income and resource
poor farmers, as well as to encourage diversification from growing illicit
crops. Members will agree on the elements and the methodology of implementation
according to the Timeline for Implementation section below.
MARKET ACCESS
9._
Members commit to pursue and intensify negotiations on
agricultural market access with a view to reducing substantially and
progressively protection in a fair and equitable manner, to improve market
access opportunities for all Members, and improving disciplines in accordance
with the reform objective in the AoA and within a reasonable timeframe to be
agreed by Members. These negotiations shall take into account exporting
Members' interests and importing Members' sensitivities. Members will agree on
the elements and the methodology of implementation according to the Timeline
for Implementation section below.
PUBLIC
STOCKHOLDING FOR FOOD SECURITY PURPOSES (PSH)
10._ Pursuant to Bali Ministerial Decision (_WT/MIN(13)/38-WT/L/913), the General Council
Decision (_WT/L/939), and the Nairobi
Ministerial Decision (_WT/MIN(15)/44-WT/L/979), Members commit to pursue
and intensify negotiations on PSH in Dedicated Sessions of the CoA-SS. The
negotiations on PSH should pay particular attention to the needs of LDCs and NFIDCs.
A permanent solution on the issue of public stockholding for food security
purposes shall be available to all developing country Members. Public
stockholding programmes shall not distort trade or adversely affect the food
security of other Members. Members will agree on the elements and the
methodology of implementation according to the Timeline of Implementation section below.
SSM
11._ Pursuant to the Nairobi Ministerial Decision (_WT/MIN(15)/43–WT/L/978), Members commit to pursue
and intensify negotiations in Dedicated Sessions of the CoA-SS on a special
safeguard mechanism for developing country Members, as envisaged under
paragraph 7 of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration (_WT/MIN(05)/DEC), and to which the
developing country Members will have the right to have recourse under paragraph
1 of the Nairobi Ministerial Decision. Members will agree on the elements and
the methodology of implementation according to the Timeline for Implementation section below.
EXPORT PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS
12._ Members commit to pursue and intensify negotiations on export
prohibitions or restrictions. The negotiations shall take into account the
interests of exporting and importing Members, with particular attention paid to
the needs of LDCs and NFIDCs. Members will agree on the elements and the
methodology of implementation according to the
Timeline for Implementation section
below.
EXPORT
COMPETITION
13._ Members agree to continue negotiations to enhance disciplines on
export credits, export credit guarantees or insurance programmes, agricultural
exporting state trading enterprises and international food aid and other
measures with equivalent effect to prevent circumvention of export subsidy
elimination commitments including through non-commercial transactions. Special
consideration shall be given to the needs and circumstances of least-developed
and net food-importing developing countries. Members will agree on the elements
and the methodology of implementation according to the Timeline of
Implementation section.
COTTON TRADE-RELATED COMPONENT
14._ Members commit to pursue and intensify negotiations on cotton
trade-related measures based on Members' submissions, and pursuant to the
cotton-related elements of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration (_WT/MIN(05)/DEC), as complemented by the
Bali Cotton Ministerial Decision (_WT/MIN(13)/41-WT/L/916), and the Nairobi Cotton
Ministerial Decision (_WT/MIN(15)/46-WT/L/981) to address it
ambitiously, expeditiously and specifically within the agriculture
negotiations. These negotiations shall seek to reduce substantially and
progressively the trade-distorting domestic support for cotton. Members will
agree on the elements and the methodology of implementation according to the
Timeline for Implementation section.
15._ The negotiations shall also seek to significantly reduce market
access barriers, pursuant to the Ministerial outcomes listed in paragraph 12,
for cotton-producing and exporting LDCs. Members are encouraged to open their
markets allowing greater purchases of cotton products and byproducts from
cotton-producing LDCs, including through the offer of duty-free quota free
market access.
16._ Members undertake to continue efforts aimed at enhancing
transparency and monitoring of cotton-related trade measures affecting the
global cotton market through the Dedicated Discussions on Cotton held on a
bi-annual basis, as mandated by paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 of the Bali Ministerial
Decision on Cotton (_WT/MIN(13)/41-WT/L/916) and confirmed in
paragraph 14 of the Nairobi Ministerial Decision on Cotton (_WT/MIN(15)/46-WT/L/981). Members reaffirm the
need to respect their notification obligations in the context of the required
transparency.
COTTON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE COMPONENT
17._ Members reaffirm that development-related aspects of cotton shall be
addressed as provided for in paragraph 12 of the Hong Kong Ministerial
Declaration (_WT/MIN(05)/DEC) and paragraphs 10, 11, 12
and 13 of the Nairobi Ministerial Decision (_WT/MIN(15)/46-WT/L/981).
18._ Members reiterate their commitment to the rules-based multilateral
trading system, which strengthens the possible synergies between trade in
cotton, productive investment and development assistance for LDCs. They
recognize the need for an inclusive partnership that makes cooperation and
negotiations the preferred instruments for finding the most appropriate
solutions to the considerable systemic and cyclical challenges faced by cotton
producing and exporting LDCs, in particular the C-4 countries.
19._ Members underscore the central role of the WTO Director-General's
Consultative Mechanism on Cotton as an international forum of reference
bringing together the various stakeholders of the global cotton community
(public and private sectors, and multilateral agencies) and as an effective
multilateral consultation platform for the development of cotton-producing and
exporting LDCs. As such, they agree to coordinate cotton development assistance
interventions, follow up on completed and ongoing projects, and use this
platform to attract and mobilize further investment with a view to promoting
and supporting the production, processing and marketing of cotton and its
by-products in LDCs.
20._ Members welcome the initiatives undertaken with development partners
over recent years such as partner conferences, World Cotton Day, or WTO-FIFA
Memorandum, aimed at better integrating the cotton sector of LDCs, in
particular the C-4 countries, in global value chains for value-added products
deriving from cotton and its byproducts, and encourage all development partners
to intensify their efforts in this perspective.
TIMELINE
FOR IMPLEMENTATION
21._ In order to achieve tangible
progress and concrete outcomes, Members instruct the CoA-SS Chairperson to
provide, based on Members' contributions, annual negotiating schedules to
discuss all aspects, including the elements and the methodology, of each of the
topics in this Decision.
22._ Members instruct the CoA-SS
Chairperson to conduct negotiations on PSH, SSM and cotton in line with the
mandates of the Nairobi Ministerial Decision and in dedicated sessions of the CoA‑SS.
23._ The General Council and the TNC
shall regularly review progress in the negotiation.
24._ Senior Officials will meet one year
after MC13 and make recommendations for the way forward. Six months before
MC14, Senior Officials will review the progress achieved in the negotiations,
including PSH, SSM and cotton.
25._ Members will adopt a comprehensive agricultural framework by MC14 and work towards
achieving modalities that balance Members interests and take into consideration
Members' food security priorities to be implemented in timeframes to be decided
by Members.
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* An earlier working
version was circulated in _WT/GC/W/931.
[2] The
situation of recently graduated LDCs shall be considered.