Agriculture food and safety
Acknowledgements
This publication, Trade and Food Standards, has been jointly prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Legal texts on agriculture
Having decided to establish a basis for initiating a process of reform of trade in agriculture in line with the objectives of the negotiations as set out in the Punta del Este Declaration.
Introduction
The WTO Agreement on Agriculture entered into force when the World Trade Organization (WTO) came into being on 1 January 1995. Its main objective is to reform agricultural trade so that it is closer to competitive market conditions — but also to serve other objectives.
Agriculture Agreement
Historically, governments have intervened in the agriculture sector more than in other sectors. Agriculture was always covered by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which entered into force in 1948. But numerous exemptions meant agricultural trade escaped most of the disciplines that applied more generally to trade in industrial products. The result was the widespread use of measures that obstructed imports — import bans, limits on quantities that could be imported (quotas), high import duties, import duties whose rates varied and so created market uncertainty, minimum import prices, and various impediments not related to tariffs such as regulations and the activities of state trading enterprises. Major agricultural products such as cereals, meat, dairy, sugar and a range of fruits and vegetables faced trade barriers on a scale unseen in the rest of merchandise trade.
Frequently asked questions
Agriculture is important, but trade is distorted by subsidies and protectionism — hurting producers (and some consumers) who are not supported or protected. The 1994 agreement is a first step in the effort to reduce the distortion.
Foreword
Trade in food is difficult to imagine without standards. Food standards give confidence to consumers in the safety, quality and authenticity of what they eat. By setting down a common understanding on different aspects of food for consumers, producers and governments, standards enable trade to take place. If every government applies different food standards, trade is more costly, and it is more difficult to ensure that food is safe and meets consumers' expectations.
Introduction
The WTO Agreement on Agriculture entered into force when the World Trade Organization (WTO) came into being on 1 January 1995. Its main objective is to reform agricultural trade to bring it closer to competitive market conditions, but it also serves other objectives.
Acknowledgements
This publication is the first WTO publication on illicit trade in food and food fraud. It includes contributions from participants in the WTO’s Annual Agriculture Symposium, held on 11 and 12 December 2023, which explored this topic. The Symposium was organized by the Agriculture and Commodities Division with the cooperation of the Office of the Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam.
Protecting the international food supply chain from fraud
Global trade has both brought significant benefits to reducing hunger around the world, but it has also increased the complexity of the food supply chain. This complexity is a strong enabler for food fraud. The more links across the supply chain and the longer the distance between where food is originally grown or produced and finally consumed provides opportunities for fraudsters to act for their benefit. The role of the WTO is fundamental in helping to reduce fraud. The WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement and the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) sit at the heart of global trade in food and help, along with other international agreements, standards and enforcement bodies, strengthen our global food supply while reducing cross-border food fraud activity. This chapter argues that it is very important for all stakeholders of the food system to work together to keep the system resilient and safe from fraudulent activity, with the final responsibility for keeping consumers safe ultimately resting with the food producer.
A snapshot of illegal practices in the trade in seeds and associated challenges
Seed is the most important input in crop production. Reliable, high-quality seeds are vital to agriculture and the food supply chain. High-quality seeds enable farmers to boost crop productivity, improve livelihoods and feed a growing world population. In recent years, there has been an increase in illegal seed practices. Many of these practices constitute a violation of intellectual property rights, such as trademark infringements, including the production of counterfeit seeds, the illegal reproduction of seeds in violation of a plant breeder’s right (PBR) and the theft of proprietary material. This chapter demonstrates through three case studies the impact of illegal practices on breeders, farmers, consumers, the seed value chain and the entire agricultural production process. It highlights the need for cooperation among all actors involved in the global seed supply chain, emphasizing the crucial role that must be played by regulatory authorities at the national, regional and international levels and the actions required to better combat illegal seed practices in future.