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WTO Symposium Geneva, May 2004

At the WTO Symposium in Geneva, May 2004, the focus was on trade, agriculture, and world poverty. Oxfam's campaign emphasized the need for pro-development trade rules to combat rural poverty. The challenges of Northern agricultural policies, hidden dumping by the US and EU, and the European sugar sector's impact on global markets were discussed. Proposals included ending export subsidies, redefining domestic support indicators, and ensuring market access for developing countries. The goal was to create a fair trading environment that supports small farmers in developing nations.

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WTO Symposium Geneva, May 2004

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  1. WTO Symposium Geneva, May 2004 Trade, agriculture, and world poverty: Will the Doha Agenda deliver pro-development trade rules?

  2. Agricultural trade and rural poverty • World poverty eradication is about rural development and agricultural policies. • The effective fight against rural poverty. • Trade, but not only trade: Rural development iniciatives and agricultural policies. Oxfam’s development programmes and Make Trade Fair campaign.

  3. The organized madness of Northern agricultural policies • Northern agricultural policies are not “multifunctional” • US and EU hidden dumping: The cases of cotton and cereals. • The impact of Northern policies on developing countries.

  4. Bitter sugar • The paradox of the European sugar sector: • The EU is one of the world’s less competitive sugar producers... • ... and the second world’s main exporter of sugar. Comparative advantage?: No; high tariffs and overprice. • Despite of production quotas, systematic oversupply takes place. In other words: • dumping on world markets through direct and indirect support • market access restrictions • price volatility • Big companies and landowners win, developing countries and European small farmers lose.

  5. From the Uruguay Round to the ‘Development Round’ • There’s no possible Development Round in the absence of: • G-146 agreement: in particular committement from developed countries and G-20. • genuine pro-development agricultural policies, through the following proposals:

  6. From the Uruguay Round to the ‘Development Round’: Oxfam proposals for July’s framework • Put an end to Export unfair Competition: • A prohibition on export subsidies • A prohibition on export credit subsidies • A prohibition on commercial use of food aid

  7. From the Uruguay Round to the ‘Development Round’: Oxfam proposals for July’s framework • Make Domestic Support legitimate: a redefinition of WTO’s support indicators • as a principle, subsidised products should not be exported • allow supply management systems in support to small farmers and to address overproduction

  8. From the Uruguay Round to the ‘Development Round’: Oxfam proposals for July’s framework • Market Access: ensure developing countries’ right to agricultural development • Free access for least developed countries and low incomcountries. • Eliminate tariff escalation • Formula which really differentiates between developed and developing countries (not current blended formula) • Basic food security crops in developing countries exempt from reductions in tariffs • Special safeguard mechanism available for all developing countries

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