Agriculture food and safety
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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.
Indonesia - Importation of Horticultural Products, Animals and Animal Products
On 9 November 2017 the WTO Appellate Body issued its report in the cases brought by New Zealand and the United States in “Indonesia - Importation of Horticultural Products Animals and Animal Products”.
United States - Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Measures on Large Residential Washers from Korea
On 13 April 2017 an Arbitrator issued her Award regarding the “reasonable period of time” for implementing the recommendations and rulings of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) in the dispute “United States — Anti-dumping and Countervailing Measures on large residential washers from Korea” (WT/DS464). The Arbitrator determined that the “reasonable period of time” for the United States to implement the DSB’s recommendations and rulings in this dispute is 15 months from the adoption of the panel and Appellate Body Reports in this dispute. The reasonable period of time will thus expire on 26 December 2017.
Russian Federation - Measures on the Importation of Live Pigs, Pork and other Pig Products from the European Union
On 23 February 2017 the WTO Appellate Body issued its report in the case “Russian Federation - Measures on the Importation of Live Pigs Pork and Other Pig Products from the European Union”.
Indonesia - Importation of Horticultural Products, Animals and Animal Products
On 8 May 2014 New Zealand requested consultations with Indonesia concerning certain measures it imposes on the importation of horticultural products animals and animal products. New Zealand claims that the measures are inconsistent with: - Articles III:4 X:1 and XI:1 of the GATT 1994; - Article 4.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture; - Articles 1.2 1.5 1.6 2.2 3.2 3.3 5.1 and 5.2 of the Import Licensing Agreement; and - Articles 2.1 and 2.15 of the Agreement on Preshipment Inspection.
Russian Federation - Measures on the Importation of Live Pigs, Pork and other Pig Products from the European Union
On 8 April 2014 the European Union requested consultations with the Russian Federation concerning certain measures adopted by the Russian Federation affecting the importation of live pigs and their genetic material pork pork products and certain other commodities from the European Union purportedly because of concerns related to cases of African swine fever. The European Union claims that the measures at issue are inconsistent with: - Articles 2.2 2.3 3.1 3.2 3.3 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.1 6.2 6.3 7 8 Annex B and Annex C of the SPS Agreement; and - Articles I:1 III:4 and XI:1 of the GATT 1994.
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.
The WTO Agreements Series: Agriculture, 3nd Edition (2016)
This new edition provides an introduction to the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture outlining its key principles the work of the Agriculture Committee and how disputes have interpreted WTO law on agriculture. The publication includes the full text of the Agriculture Agreement as well as the decisions taken on agriculture at the 2013 Bali Ministerial Conference. A frequently asked questions section provides a handy overview of the Agriculture Agreement and the issues covered by it. The publication also provides an update on agriculture negotiations at the WTO. This publication forms part of the WTO Agreements Series a set of compact booklets on selected WTO agreements. Other publications in the series include Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Technical Barriers to 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.
United States - Certain Country of Origin Labelling (Cool) Requirements
On 07 December 2015 the WTO issued the dispute panel reports in the case "United States - Certain country of origin labelling (cool) requirements".
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
Agricultural products worth over US$ 1765 billion were traded in 2013. WTO rules help to ensure that these products are traded safely and that health protection measures are not used as an excuse for protecting domestic producers. This brochure produced to mark the WTO’s 20th anniversary looks into the key provisions of the Agreement and the work of the SPS Committee.
Peru - Additional Duty on Imports of Certain Agricultural Products
On 12 April 2013 Guatemala requested consultations with Peru with respect to the imposition by Peru of an “additional duty” on imports of certain agricultural products such as rice sugar maize milk and certain dairy products. Guatemala claims that the measure at issue is inconsistent with: - Article 4.2 and footnote 1 of the Agreement on Agriculture; - Articles II:1(a) II:1(b) X:1 X:3(a) XI and XI:1 of the GATT 1994; and - Articles 1 2 3 5 6 and 7 of the Customs Valuation Agreement.
India - Measures Concerning the Importation of Certain Agricultural Products
On 6 March 2012 the United States requested consultations with India with respect to the prohibitions imposed by India on the importation of various agricultural products from the United States purportedly because of concerns related to Avian Influenza. The measures at issue are: the Indian Livestock Importation Act 1898 (9 of 1898) ("Livestock Act"); a number of orders issued by India's Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying and Fisheries pursuant to the Livestock Act most recently S.O. 1663(E); as well as any amendments related measures or implementing measures.
United States - Certain Country of Origin Labelling (Cool) Requirements - Recourse 1
On 1 December 2008 Canada requested consultations with the United States concerning certain mandatory country of origin labelling (COOL) provisions in the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 as amended by the 2008 Farm Bill and as implemented through an Interim Final Rule of 28 July 2008. These include the obligation to inform consumers at the retail level of the country of origin in respect of covered commodities including beef and pork. The eligibility for a designation of a covered commodity as exclusively having a US origin can only be derived from an animal that was exclusively born raised and slaughtered in the United States. This would exclude such a designation in respect of beef or pork derived from livestock that is exported to the United States for feed or immediate slaughter.
Agricultural Trade and Development
The system of global agricultural and food trade is undergoing rapid processes of change with important implications for economic development. In this paper we document and discuss these changes; including the rapid growth and structural change in agri-food trade the increased consolidation in food supply chains the proliferation of public and private food standards high and volatile food prices and increased vertical coordination in the chains. We investigate what the implications are of these changes for developing countries for their participation in international agricultural trade as well as for economic development income mobility and poverty reduction in rural areas.