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The essential objective of the WTO agricultural
negotiations should be to establish trade rules, under
which non-trade concerns such as the multi-functionality
of agriculture and food security can be fully and legitimately
taken into account and the various forms of agriculture
in all the countries be allowed to mutually co-exist.
These rules must be fair and equitable for both food
importing and exporting countries. From these viewpoints,
we strongly urge that the current WTO Agriculture Agreement,
which favors food exporting countries, should be improved
in many aspects including the followings.
Since appropriate border measures are a legitimate right
for food importing countries to adjust differences in
natural or economic conditions regarding agricultural
trade, it is very necessary to maintain appropriate
levels and forms of tariffs fully considering the characteristics
of the respective products.
When the level of access opportunities is set for Tariff
Rate Quotas (TRQs), it is necessary to sufficiently
take into account the supply-and-demand situation in
importing countries. The current system, which requires
countries to provide a certain level of access opportunities,
has the fundamental problem of imbalance between importing
and exporting countries in terms of their rights and
obligations. Such aspects of the system should be improved.
The seasonal and perishable characteristics of agricultural
products should be fully recognized. It is necessary
to introduce a new safeguard mechanism in the Agreement
on Agriculture that can be applied automatically and
effectively to import surges without requiring compensation.
This new mechanism would promptly and effectively address
adverse situations such as surges in import volumes
and/or significant decreases in import prices. Furthermore,
the present special safeguard must be maintained as
a justifiable right for food importing countries.
In every country, a certain level of domestic support
is necessary for ensuring the multi-functionality of
agriculture, of which food security is an integral part.
Therefore, the present framework for the commitment
on domestic support under the current Agreement on Agriculture
should be maintained, and a necessary review be undertaken
to facilitate the implementation of domestic farm policy
particularly to increase the food self-sufficiency.
From the viewpoint of eliminating the imbalance between
importing and exporting countries in terms of their
rights and obligations, export rules should be strengthened
through clarifying rules on export prohibition/restriction,
export taxes, export credits, substantial disciplines
on exporting state trading enterprises, and reduction
of export subsidies.
Furthermore, with a view to eradicating poverty and
hunger in developing countries, these countries must
be supported through providing training opportunities
for farmers, including women and small-scale farmers,
as well as through developing their co-operative organizations.
The international support system should be strengthened
so that food aid provided by governments can be facilitated.
A system of food reserves on a worldwide or regional
basis also needs to be pursued. |
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