Note:  "NG/W/-" refers to documents in the series:  "G/AG/NG/W/-". ./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/AG/NG/3
3 October 2000
(00-4038)
Committee on Agriculture
Special Session
THIRD SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Report by the Chairman, Ambassador Jorge Voto-Bernales, to the General Council
1. The Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture, which was established by the General
Council to conduct the negotiations for continuing the reform process under Article 20 of the
Agreement on Agriculture (WT/GC/M/53, paragraph 39 refers), held its third meeting on
28-29 September 2000.
2. The agenda as set out in WTO/AIR/1382 was adopted.
3. Under the programme for the first phase of the negotiations as it relates to negotiating
proposals for continuing the reform process (paragraph 6(b) of G/AG/NG/1 refers), initial
examination was completed in respect of the following proposals presented at the previous Special
Session:  the proposal by the United States on "Comprehensive Long-Term Agricultural Trade
Reform" and the related note on "Domestic Support Reform" (NG/W/15 and 16);  and the proposalsby the European Communities on "The Blue Box and Other Support Measures to Agriculture", on
"Food Quality – Improvement of Market Access Opportunities" and on "Animal Welfare and Trade in
Agriculture" (NG/W/17 to 19 respectively).
4. The following additional proposals for continuing the reform process were presented and
examined at the meeting:  by the European Communities on "Export Competition" (NG/W/34); by the
Cairns Group on "Domestic Support" (NG/W/35); and a proposal on "Market Access" by Cuba,
Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Kenya, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uganda and
Zimbabwe (NG/W/37).
5. Under the programme for the first phase of the ne gotiations as it relates to work within the
framework of paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of Article 20, the following submissions were before the
Special Session:  a note on "Non-Trade Concerns" submitted by Barbados, Burundi, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Dominica, Estonia, the European Communities, Fiji, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Latvia,Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malta, Mauritius, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Saint Lucia,
Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Trinid ad and Tobago (NG/W/36);  and a discussion
paper by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (Mercosur), Bolivia, Chile, and Costa Rica on
"Export Subsidies – Food Security or Food Dependence?" (NG/W/38).  Presentation and
consideration of these submissions was deferred to the next Special Session.
6. As requested by the participants concerned, the following statements made at the meeting are
being circulated:  Argentina (NG/W/39);  Aust ralia (NG/W/40 and NG/W/41 );  Canada (NG/W/42);
Colombia (NG/W/43);  Czech Republic (NG/W/44);  the European Communities (NG/W/45);  Japan
(NG/W/46); Paraguay (NG/W/47); the Philippines (NG/W/48);  and the United States (NG/W/49).
(Statements made at the second Special Session but circulated after the appearance of the Chairman'sreport on that meeting are:  India (NG/W/33) and Mauritius (NG/W/28/Add.1).)G/AG/NG/3
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7. The Secretariat was requested to prepare additional background papers, or to follow-up as
appropriate, on the following subjects:
(a) a compilation of issues relating to the operation of the Green Box based on relevant
AIE papers and pre-Seattle submissions by Members;
(b) a factual paper listing international agreements and declarations which Members
consider relevant to the negotiations on agriculture;  and
(c) trade shares and export subsidy reductions.
8. The Committee took note of the following schedule of provisional dates for Special Session
meetings to be held back-to-back with regular meetings of the Committee on Agriculture in 2001:
28-30 March 2001
27-29 June 2001
26-28 September 200114-16 November 2001
9. Finally, it was agreed by the Committee, following an exchange of views on a suggestion that
regular reports should be made to the Special Sessions on the work of the Trips Council on
geographical indications (G/AG/NG/R/2, paragraph 27, refers), that this matter be referred to the
General Council.
10. The next Special Session is to be held on 15-17 November 2000, following on from the
twenty-fifth regular meeting of the Committee on Agriculture on Tuesday 14 November.
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