. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONTN/AG/5
4 December 2002
(02-6683)
Committee on Agriculture
Special Session
FIFTEENTH SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Report by the Chairman, Stuart Harbinson, to the Trade Negotiations Committee
I. STATUS OF WORK
1. The Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture, which was established by the General
Council (WT/GC/M/53) and which is pursuing negotiations under paragraphs 13, 14 and other
relevant provisions of the Doha Ministerial Declaration as agreed by the Trade Negotiations
Committee (TN/C/M/1), held its fifteenth meeting on 22 November 2002.  The agenda as set out in
WTO/AIR/1963 was adopted.
2. The Chairman presented a report on his own responsibility concerning the main features of
the discussions at the 18-20 November informal Sp ecial Session on matters requiring follow-up with
regard to possible modalities in the areas of export competition, market access and domestic support,
including, as an integral element of this work, spec ial and differential treatment.  During the informal
Special Session, a total of 27 specific written inputs were received from nearly 100 participants.There was also, inter alia , considerable discussion of special and differential treatment in the context
of domestic support measures, and special safeguard measures by developing countries for food
security purposes.
3. The Chairman's report will be included in the Secretariat summary report on the fifteenth
formal Special Session (to be issued shortly as TN /AG/R/5).  A number of st atements were made by
participants in the formal meeting regarding the work undertaken thus far on possible modalities,
including rules-related elements.  Participants' statements and contributions in this regard will also bereflected in the Secretariat summary report on the formal Special Session.
4. So far as the status of the work of the Special Session negotiations on agriculture is
concerned, it is my view that worthwhile progress has been made, in line with the programme adopted
at the March Special Session meeting (TN/AG/1 refers), in the technical elaboration of possible
modalities based on specific drafting and other inputs tabled by a wide range of participants.  Inaddition, since late September, more focused informal technical work has been initiated on possible
disciplines with respect to tariff quota administration and export credits.  It is my hope to extend the
scope of this type of work to other rules-related areas.  I will continue to consult as appropriate and to
pursue informal technical work in open-ended formats, including with respect to those issues and
inputs which it was not possible to address fully in the time available for the recent informal SpecialSession.  Having said this, the process is in need of further, more specific, inputs in certain key areas
and I would urge those participants which have yet to do so to be forthcoming sooner rather than later.TN/AG/5
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II. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
5. There are, as Members of the TNC will be aware, many outstanding issues in the negotiations
on agriculture, not only with respect to methods to be employed in the negotiation of further
commitments and levels of ambition concerning reduction objectives, but also with respect to rules
and disciplines in a number of areas and certain collateral issues.  These are matters which will haveto be further addressed progressively in forthcoming Special Sessions.
III. FUTURE WORK
6. As mentioned in paragraph 4 above, further focused technical work on a number of the
outstanding issues confronting participants will continue to be essential.  In addition, the stage is now
rapidly approaching where a broad and purposeful re view of the possible modalities to meet the Doha
objectives has to be undertaken.  In accordance with the Special Session's agreed programme, a
comprehensive and substantive review of possible modalities, including rule-related elements, is to beundertaken at the next Special Session to be held on 22-24 January 2003.  This review will take place
on the basis of an overview paper to be prepared by myself as Chairman and circulated by
18 December 2002.
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