Agricultural G-20 proposals could revive negotiators’ engagement, chair says

The Group of 20 (G-20) developing countries, an alliance in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agriculture talks, presented two new proposals on September 28, described as an effort to comply with instructions from the December 2011 Ministerial Conference, to explore how to progress in the Doha Round negotiations.

New Zealand’s ambassador and chairperson John Adank had called the meeting so that members could share information on their discussions since the last meeting in March. He concluded that after a lull in the talks, delegations’ willingness to examine the new proposals will mean a greater engagement by negotiators, which has been absent for some time.

One of the proposals is a draft “understanding” written in treaty language on the administration of tariff quotas — how imports within the quotas are shared among importers, when duties inside the quotas are lower than on quantities outside.

Brazil, the group’s coordinator, told an informal negotiations meeting that the G-20 considers it to be a subject that could be settled ahead of a fuller agreement on the whole Doha Round package.

The other is a call for new secretariat studies on tariff quota administration, and on export subsidies and other forms of export competition — export credit and insurance, state trading enterprises and food aid, which can all involve hidden export subsidies.

Brazil said that the G-20’s members have been working on new ideas since agriculture negotiators last met in March, except during the Geneva summer break. They had only just agreed on the text to submit even though Beijing was still examining the tariff quota administration draft. The proposals are still evolving but the group felt it should present something to start with, Brazil said.

Speaking for itself Brazil added that it considers export competition and the linked issue of cotton subsidies to be other contenders for subjects that could be agreed early.

It also said it is looking at ways of moving the negotiations forward on issues related to agriculture but in other committees.