In a crucial development, Ambassador Alparslan Acarsoy of Türkiye, Chair of the agriculture negotiating body, introduced a draft negotiating text during a meeting on January 30th, open to all WTO delegations. This draft text has garnered positive responses from trade officials and is seen as a valuable starting point for discussions leading up to the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) scheduled from February 26th to 29th. The WTO Ministerial Conferences, occurring every two years, serve as the highest decision-making body for the organization.

 

As we approach the MC13, scheduled merely four weeks from now, negotiations are entering their final phase. It is essential to focus on achievable outcomes for MC13 and lay the groundwork for more substantial progress at MC14, the Chair emphasized.

 

The five-page draft text, circulated to all WTO members on January 27th, aims to strike a delicate balance among the widely divergent negotiating positions, reflecting the current state of play in ongoing talks. It is intended to facilitate engagement among WTO members.

 

The draft text includes a preambular section providing background and direction, derived from language agreed upon at MC12 in the Ministerial Declaration on the Emergency Response to Food Insecurity. Additionally, it reaffirms the importance of agricultural production and trade for food security and contemplates exemptions for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Net Food Importing Developing Countries (NFIDCs) from export restrictions.

 

Furthermore, the text underscores the significance of special and differential treatment for developing countries and suggests possible exemptions for LDCs from future farm support reduction commitments.

 

The draft text outlines possible pathways for seven key negotiating topics, encompassing domestic support, market access, a proposed “special safeguard mechanism,” export restrictions on food, export competition, cotton, and public stockholding programs for food security purposes.

 

Domestic support remains a central and sensitive issue, and the text envisions members agreeing on modalities for reduction commitments and exceptions by MC14. Similarly, in the area of market access improvements, it suggests the possibility of agreeing on modalities by MC14 while recognizing the varying views among members.

 

The draft text emphasizes the need to make progress on cotton, aligning with the target for reducing trade-distorting domestic support by MC14.

 

The most challenging issue revolves around a “permanent solution” for difficulties some developing countries face under WTO rules when buying food as part of their public stockholding programs. The text presents two options: one calls for adopting a permanent solution based on a negotiated text in an annex, while the other involves setting parameters for further negotiations with the goal of adopting a permanent solution by MC14.

 

The Chair’s efforts in preparing this text have been commendable, and while preliminary feedback has been positive, many capitals require additional time for a comprehensive review.

 

The introduction of this draft text signifies a crucial step forward in WTO agricultural negotiations, offering a potential path toward resolution and progress at MC13 and beyond. The International Trade Council continues to monitor these developments closely.