WTO Agreement on Agriculture. The Parties confirm their rights and obligations under the WTO Agreement on Agriculture unless otherwise specified in this Agreement.
WTO Agreement on Agriculture. GATT 1947 initially applied to agriculture, but it was incomplete, and signatory states (or ‘contracting parties’) excluded this sector from the scope of the principles stated in the general agreement. In the 1947-1994 period members were allowed to use export subsidies on agricultural primary products and to impose import restrictions under certain conditions, with the result that main agricultural commodities faced barriers to trade on a scale uncommon in other merchandise sectors. The way towards a fair and market-oriented agricultural trading system was thus tough and long; and negotiations were finally concluded during the Uruguay Round. Agriculture has special status in the WTO’s Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding on trade (which were signed in 1994 and entered into force on 1 January 1995) because the sector has a specific agreement, the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), whose provisions prevail. In addition, some provisions of the Agreement on the Application of Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) also involve agricultural production and trade. The same is true of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) in relation to the protection of geographical designations. Furthermore, the provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture are supplemented by the Agreement on technical barriers to trade (TBT), as well as by technical assistance mechanisms. These agreements contain a certain degree of flexibility as regards their implementation by both developing country, WTO members (special and differential treatment) and least developed countries (LDCs) and net food-importing developing countries (special provisions). On the basis of the AoA, WTO Member States undertook to implement an agricultural policy reform agenda that lays down specific binding commitments in three major areas:
WTO Agreement on Agriculture. Export Subsidy Commitments
WTO Agreement on Agriculture. Definition of Terms
WTO Agreement on Agriculture. A Developing Country Perspective, 1 X. XXX. & L. 19 (2008). The author in this article has critically analysed the extent to which the WTO has taken into consideration the interest of the developing nations in the Agreement on Agriculture. The author has also discussed about the special and differential treatment provided to the developing countries and its effect, the extent to which the special and differential treatment can be given and some of the reforms that was to be considered in Doha Round. Furthermore, the author has researched on the three main issues relating to agriculture- Market access, domestic support and export subsidies. The researcher however, is of the opinion that the AoA had a disappointing effect on the developing countries. The market access provisions were supposed to rise the share of global agriculture export, however the share remained steady since the implementation of the agreement. The reason was due to the unfulfilled promises by the developed countries and the troubles faced by the developing countries by the AoA. The disappointment of the developing countries echoed the idea of a development round at Doha. The Doha round emphasised the need for special and differential treatment for developing countries in area of agriculture. However, the author has opined that the draft submitted by the US, EU and OECD are still disappointing and controversial. The draft did not represent the members fairly and also did not provide adequate respect to the needs of the developing countries. the author states that the AoA has ignored the differences among the countries by suggesting the same liberalization policies to all nations and has also allowed the rich countries certain exceptions to the rules which the developing countries do not enjoy.
WTO Agreement on Agriculture. Definition of Terms In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:
WTO Agreement on Agriculture. The WTO Agreement on Agriculture applies and is hereby incorporated into and made part of this Agreement, mutatis mutandis.
WTO Agreement on Agriculture. The Implementation Experience - Developing Country Case Studies. Retrieved from xxx.xxx.xxx/0/x0000x/x0000x0x.xxx Xxxxxxx, X. (2016, August 10). Agricultural Trade: How Bad is the WTO for Development? European Yearbook of International Economic Law, Volume 7 , pp. pp.103-117. Retrieved from xxxxx://xxxxxx.xxxx.xxx/sol3/xxxxxx.xxx?abstract_id=2817919 Xxxx, X., & Xxxxxx, X. (2008, June). Retrieved from IFPRI. Xxxx, X., & Xxxxxx, A. (2013, September). Retrieved from xxxxx://xxx.xxxxx.xxx/sites/default/files/downloads/2013/09/indias- agricultural-trade-policy-and-sustainable-development-goals.pdf
