Second international conference on non-trade concerns
Historical archive
Published under: Stoltenberg's 1st Government
Publisher: Ministry of Agriculture
Guidelines/brochures | Date: 01/06/2001
Ministry of Agriculture, Food
Technology and Natural Resources
Mauritius 31 May 2001
Press release (Final)
Link to the papers
Second International Conference on Non-Trade Concerns
Securing the coexistence of various types of agriculture in the context of the multilateral system
In the ongoing WTO agricultural negotiations, non-trade
concerns are of vital importance to both developing and developed
countries. WTO Members are committed to strengthening the
multilateral agricultural trading system through the continuation
of the reform process under Article 20 of the Agreement on
Agriculture. In this context we underline that a one-size-fits-all
approach will not be appropriate to address such concerns because
it would not sufficiently take into account the diversity of
country situations. How to address these non-trade concerns in
concrete ways was discussed at the Second International Conference
on Non-Trade Concerns in Agriculture attended by senior officials
from 42 WTO Members and Observers, which was held in Mauritius from
28
th> to 31
st> May, 2001.
The conference was organised by the European Commission and
the governments of Japan, Mauritius, Norway, the Republic of Korea
and Switzerland, and attended by another thirty-six Members and
Observers comprising developed countries, economies in transition,
custom territories and developing countries including
least-developed countries, land-locked countries and small island
developing states, all of whom have a keen interest in securing
their systems of agriculture in the context of the multilateral
trading system.
As the agriculture negotiations at the WTO progress in their second phase, participants discussed in particular the policy measures and instruments to achieve their non-trade objectives building on the outcome of the first NTC Conference held in Ullensvang, Norway in July 2000. They focused on three main concerns that are common to most countries and economies, namely rural development, food security and protection of the environment.
On rural development, participants discussed a number of possible instruments, in recognition that while the priorities of various countries are diverse, all the countries need to preserve or develop the economic and social environment necessary to maintain rural population. Agricultural activity plays a central role in this endeavour.
On
food security, it was recognised that all
countries have to ensure food security for their people, through
domestic production, stockholding and imports.
On
environment various means were considered to
better accommodate policies meeting legitimate environmental
non-trade concerns. All countries had such concerns and recognised
the importance of agriculture in that respect. Conservation of
biological diversity, maintenance of farmed landscapes, and
protection against disasters were recognised as examples of
environmental non-trade concerns.
It was underlined that non-trade concerns would not be
satisfied through the market only since public goods will not
generally be provided through the market. It was also recognised
that protecting NTCs calls for resources and that, for vulnerable
developing countries, including least developed countries,
land-locked countries, small island developing states and
vulnerable economies in transition, preferential market access is a
key means to obtaining these resources.
Discussion further revealed that these non-trade concerns
cannot be adequately addressed without domestic agricultural
production. The coexistence of various types of agriculture, based
on each county’s specific production conditions and potential and
historical and cultural background, is therefore required in order
to pursue non-trade objectives in both high- and low- potential
areas.
Participants underlined the diversity of situations both with
respect to their priorities and production conditions, but shared
their genuine interest in safeguarding NTCs and the need for the
multilateral trading system to accommodate such concerns through a
variety of instruments. They will actively participate in the
process of WTO agricultural negotiations, building on the
discussion they have had in this Conference