Agriculture and environment in the WTO-negotiations
Preparation of the WTO statement
On 12 November 1999, the Working Group met in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, to discuss the consequences of trade in agriculture and the environment. This resulted in a statement 'European Agriculture in the World Trade Organisation Millenium Round' presented to the European Commissioners Fischler, Lamy and Wallström and to the Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Kalevi Hemilä in time before the start of the WTO Millennium Round in Seattle.
Introduction letter of 29 November 1999 (17k)
Further correspondence
The EEAC received reactions on the WTO statement from Commissioners Wallström, Lamy and Fischler, the Economic and Social Committee and the Agriculture and Commodities Division of the WTO. On the national level the statement has also been used. The reactions are on the whole affirming the position that already had been taken by the addressee, more than an answer on the essence of the statement.
Both Commissioners Wallström and Lamy underline the leading role of the EC in promoting the integration of environmental concerns in a new Round and they announce to do so in the forthcoming negotiations in agriculture due to start in the year 2000.
PCommissioner Fischler states that "it is the Community's view that the negotiations on agriculture should not be limited to trade issues, but should also take into account non-trade concerns, in particular the protection of the environment, rural development, food safety and food quality. Furthermore, the Community has already insisted in the need of a special and differential treatment for developing countries, in order to improve their integration in the world economy."
The Economic and Social Committee announces that the EEAC statement has been made available to the Members of the Section for "Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment" and its President. The Committee also submitted its "Opinion on a policy to consolidate the European agricultural model", which is available at the Focal Point Information Service.
The Agriculture and Commodities Division of the WTO also has "taken good notes" of the EEAC statement. It stresses that
- the Marrakech Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization does recognize
in its preamble the objective of sustainable development and the need to protect
and preserve the environment. This has been confirmed in the Singapore and Geneva
ministerial Conferences;
- the WTO Agreement on Agriculture identifies explicitly the need to protect the environment as a non-trade concern and provides instruments to address these concerns (for example paragraph 12 of Annex 2 to the agreement).
The Director of the Division also points out: "The relationship between agriculture trade and the environment has been a matter of discussion in an informal process under the auspices of the WTO Committee on Agriculture and I would expect that interested parties will further pursue this issue in the forthcoming negotiations on agriculture."
The working group found this letter disappointing and answered to it on 21 June 2000, explaining its concern that a sustainable development of agriculture would be threatened if environmental and social conditions were not be included equally in the negotiation process. This response challenged Mr. Wolters, Director of the Agriculture and Commodities Division of the WTO to react again in an informative way. He explained the WTO process and stated that the characteristics of the organisation WTO - member-driven and consensus-oriented - causes that only slow progress can be made in sensitive areas.
EEAC letter of 21 June 2000 (51k)
Geneva meetings
On 18 October 2000 the working group met representatives of Cairns group and WTO-secretariat in Geneva to discuss the concept of multi-functionality.
The working group has for some time been examining the impact of the CAP on the environment and biodiversity. Through this work the group has explored opportunities for advocating the radical reform of the CAP. The WTO negotiations are potentially a significant driver for change and the group therefore sought meetings in Geneva with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Cairns Group representatives with the aim of:
- Gaining a better understanding of the WTO negotiations process.
- Gaining a better understanding of the Cairns group position on agriculture liberalisation & the CAP.
- Identifying opportunities to promote the strengthening of environmental protection measures to accompany liberalisation of agriculture.
- Providing an opportunity for EEAC to present their position on CAP reform and to promote the idea of an integrated model of agriculture in Europe.
draft minutes from the WTO-meetings on 18 October 2000 (51k)
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Preparatory paper by Jonathan Burney, EN (60k)