Elaborating the Ag. travesty

It is difficult to believe that the complex, weak, confusing, rent-preserving, ponderous white-elephant being proposed for an agreement on agriculture in the WTO Doha negotiations could be more bloated or further compromised…but that's exactly what seems to be happening.

According to a report^* from ITCSD, developing countries and the EU want to further slow the pace of change where opening markets for products such as sugar, cut flowers, vegetable oils, fruits and juices might threaten some highly profitable deals between of a small group of EU importers and developing country exporters. So much for the poor old consumer!

"Trade sources told Bridges that this provision [to preserve tariff preferences] is meant to refer specifically to sugar; however, the language leaves open the possibility that other products, such as beef, could qualify as well. Specifically, if members use a complex methodology called ‘partial designation’ to select very specific products, then it is possible that those goods, which would not otherwise receive preference erosion treatment, might also qualify." Extract from ICTSD Preference Erosion List Marks ‘New Era’ in WTO Farm Talks

It's time to kill this ugly beast of an agreement and to start again with a simpler deal among countries that want open, competitive markets. If the current Doha text ever gets off the table it will serve only to anchor the development and expansion of international food trade in the morbid swamps of its infamously protectionist past.

^* There's no sign of the EU-ACP proposal yet on the WTO website.

Tags for this entry: wto agriculture doha trade framework