. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/AG/12
10 December 2001
(01-6286)
Committee on Agriculture
DETAILED TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE INTER-AGENCY PANEL ON
FINANCING NORMAL LEVELS OF COMMERCIAL IMPORTS OF BASIC FOODSTUFFS
WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE MARRAKESH MINISTERIAL DECISION ON
MEASURES CONCERNING THE POSSIBLE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE REFORM
PROGRAMME ON LEAST-DEVELOPED AND NET FOOD-IMPORTING DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES (NFIDC DECISION)
Submission to the General Council by the Vice-Chairman
In accordance with the relevant recommendations by the Committee on Agriculture adopted
by the Doha Ministerial Conference, the following detailed terms of reference concerning the inter-
agency panel on financing normal levels of commercial imports of basic foodstuffs, as agreed by the
Committee on Agriculture at its meeting on 6 December 2001, are submitted on the responsibility ofthe Vice-Chairman, Minister Yoichi Suzuki, for approval by the General Council.
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At the Doha Ministerial Conference, Ministers adopted the recommendations by the
Committee on Agriculture contained in the repo rt G/AG/11 (WT/MIN(01)/17, paragraph 2.2 refers).
These recommendations provide, inter alia ,
"that an inter-agency panel of financial and commodity experts be established, with
the requested participation of the World Bank, the IMF, the FAO, the International
Grains Council and the UNCTAD, to explore ways and means for improving access
by least-developed and WTO net food-importing developing countries to multilateral
programs and facilities to assist with short-term difficulties in financing normal levels
of commercial imports of basic foodstuffs, as well as the concept and feasibility of theproposal for the establishment of a revolving fund in G/AG/W/49 and Add.1 and
Corr.1.  The detailed terms of reference, drawing on the Marrakesh NFIDC Decision,
should be submitted by the Vice-Chairman of the WTO Committee on Agriculture,
following consultations with Members, to  the General Council for approval by not
later than 31 December 2001.  The inter-agency panel shall submit itsrecommendations to the General Council by  not later than 30 June 2002." (G/AG/11,
Section B, paragraph III(b), refers.)G/AG/12
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At its meeting on 6 December 2001, the Committee adopted the following terms of reference:
"1. To examine the terms and conditions of existing facilities of the international
financial institutions (namely: IMF and the World Bank) to which least-developed
and WTO net food-importing developing countries could have recourse in order toaddress short-term difficulties in financing normal levels of commercial imports of
basic foodstuffs, principally cereals, rice, basic dairy products, pulses, vegetable oils
and sugar, during periods of rising world prices for such basic foodstuffs, including,
as appropriate, other relevant sources of concessional financing; this examination
shall take into account, inter alia , such submissions as may be submitted to the Panel
by least-developed and WTO net food-importing developing countries, donors and
the relevant international financial institutions, by no later than end-March 2002;
"2. To examine the concept and feasibility of the proposal for the establishment
of a revolving fund in documents G/AG/W/49 and Add.1 and Corr.1, together with
any further elaboration of those proposals as may be submitted to the Panel by the
sponsoring Members concerned before the end of March 2002;
"3. In the light of its review and examination under paragraphs (1) and (2) above
and having regard to the Marrakesh NFIDC Decision, to make such recommendations
for the consideration of the WTO General Council as the Panel considers appropriate
regarding:  ways and means for improving access by least-developed and WTO net
food-importing developing countries to multilateral programmes and facilities to
assist with short-term difficulties in financing normal levels of commercial imports ofbasic foodstuffs.
"4. In carrying out its task the Panel may consult with such bodies or institutions
as it considers appropriate;
"5. The Panel shall submit its report and recommendations to the WTO General
Council by no later than 30 June 2002."
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