WTO: Agriculture Chair to Issue Draft Text for MC13

Ambassador Alparslan Acarsoy, the Chair of Doha agriculture negotiations, plans to issue a draft text for the World Trade Organization's 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13), addressing key issues including public stockholding (PSH) programs for food security and special safeguard mechanisms (SSM) for developing countries.

This development follows a one-and-a-half-day special session where stark differences in positions were evident.

During the recent session, Ambassador Acarsoy shared his discussions with trade envoys from twelve countries, including the United States, the European Union, Australia, Japan, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Cameroon, and South Africa. He hinted at possibly convening another meeting to define potential outcomes for MC13. Despite apparent communication challenges, members supported his efforts for a draft text.

New Proposals and Opposition

The special session, convened to discuss PSH, SSM, and Cairns Group proposals, including specific proposals by New Zealand and Canada on product-specific subsidies and the United Kingdom on export restrictions for food security, faced diverse viewpoints.

The United States advised that the chair's draft should avoid specificity and only offer guidance, highlighting deep divergences on PSH and SSM. They suggested that a permanent solution for PSH by MC13 seemed unattainable and proposed focusing on procedural steps and data provision for further discussions. The chair also faced demands for inclusion from various group coordinators, including Paraguay from the Cairns Group and Switzerland from the G10.

Contentions on PSH

The PSH discussion revealed deep rifts between proponents (led by India, Indonesia, China, and the African Group) and opponents, including Costa Rica, Paraguay, Cairns Group members, and the United States. Proponents, rallying around their proposal (Job/AG/229) tabled at MC12, emphasized respecting mandates from previous WTO conferences and decisions. India, in particular, underscored the importance of adhering to these mandates, suggesting any deviation would undermine multilateral negotiations.

Opponents, such as the United States, highlighted the negative impacts of the Bali decision, especially on rice exports. Costa Rica and Paraguay pointed to the work program outlined in paragraph eight of the Bali decision, emphasizing the need for continued discussion on PSH.

The United States and India's disagreement highlighted the challenges in reaching a consensus. The U.S. cited detrimental impacts of the Bali decision, while India underscored its gains and stressed the importance of honoring past agreements.

SSM Discussions

The session's brief discussion on SSM exposed persistent divergences. The African Group, advocating for concluding the SSM at MC13, faced little convergence from other members. The Cairns Group's proposal to cap domestic support payments was sharply criticized by China and the European Union. Proposals on product-specific subsidies and export restrictions also received mixed responses.

In summary, Ambassador Acarsoy faces a challenging task in drafting a consensus document for MC13 amidst these deeply entrenched and divergent positions among WTO members.