AGRICULTURE NEGOTIATIONS: BACKGROUNDER

The issues, and where we are now

AS OF 1 DECEMBER 2004
For current news and information on the negotiations, please click here.

This briefing document explains current agricultural issues raised before and in the current negotiations. It has been prepared by the Information and Media Relations Division of the WTO Secretariat to help public understanding about the agriculture negotiations. It is not an official record of the negotiations.

See also:
> An outline of the WTO’s Agriculture Agreement in the section on agriculture in “Understanding the WTO”

> Detailed information on agriculture in the WTO

> Fact sheets: “The boxes” in domestic support and Tariff reduction methods

> Detailed information on the agriculture negotiations (including the draft “framework” and “modalities”, proposals and many statements)


> Information on the Doha Development Agenda mandate

Contents

Introduction   >  back to top

> The present reform programme

> The current negotiations

> The objective: continuing reductions and other issues

The negotiations: from 2000 to now   >  back to top

> Phases 1 and 2: March 2000-March 2002

> Preparations for ‘modalities’: March 2002–July 2003

> Cancún deadlock: September 2003

> The July 2004 package and August decision

The issues: Exports   >  back to top

> Export subsidies and competition

> August 2004 framework: export subsidies and competition

> After the framework: technical work on export subsidies and competition

> Export restrictions and taxes

> August 2004 framework: export restrictions and taxes

The issues: Market access   >  back to top

> Market access: Tariffs and tariff quotas

> Market access: special agricultural safeguards (SSGs)

> Other Market access issues

> August 2004 framework: market access

> After the framework: technical work on market access

> Visualized: approaches to tariff reduction formulas

The issues: Domestic support   >  back to top

> Domestic support: Amber, Blue and Green Boxes

> August 2004 framework: domestic support

> After the framework: technical work on domestic support

Other issues   >  back to top

> Developing countries

> August 2004 framework: developing countries

> Decision on net food-importing developing countries

> August 2004 framework: net food-importing developing countries

> Transition economies

> August 2004 framework: transition economies and new members

> ‘Non-trade’ concerns: agriculture can serve many purposes

> August 2004 framework: non-trade concerns

> The peace clause

> August 2004 framework: the peace clause

> The Cotton Initiative

> August 2004 framework: cotton

> Cotton Sub-Committee

In a nutshell   >  back to top

> Phase 1(23-24 March 2000 to 26-27 March 2001)

> Phase 2 (26-27 March 2001 to 4-7 February 2002)

> The Doha mandate (from the Doha Ministerial Conference, November 2001)

> Preparations for ‘modalities’ and Cancún (26 March 2002 to September 2003)

> The July 2004 package (September 2003 to 1 August 2004)

> The post-framework “modalities” phase (September 2004–)

> The proposals received in Phase 1

> Technical submissions received in Phase 1

> The proposals received in Phase 2

> Technical submissions received during Phase 2

> The Cancún ‘framework’ proposals

> Countries, alliances and proposals

> Key to the groups

Data   >  back to top

> World trade in agricultural products, 2003

> Top 15 agricultural exporters and importers, 2003

> Agricultural products’ share in trade, by region, 2003

> How much do they spend?

 

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