WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/594
21 November 2002
(02-6481)
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE (REGULAR MEETINGS)
GENERAL COUNCIL OVERVIEW OF WTO ACTIVITIES (2002)
Report by the Chairman
The present report on the regular meetings of the Committee on Agriculture held thus far in
2002 is submitted on the responsibility of the Chairman, Dr. Magdi Farahat, as agreed by theCommittee at its meeting on 21 November 2002.
_______________
1. The Committee on Agriculture held four regular meetings:  on 25 March, 28 June,
26 September and 21 November 2002 (Secretariat summary reports of these meetings, G/AG/R/30
and Corr.1, R/31 and R/32 refer).
2. In accordance with Article 18.1 of the Agreement on Agriculture ("the Agreement"), the
Committee, at each of these meetings, reviewed progress in the implementation of commitmentsnegotiated under the Uruguay Round reform programme.  This review process was undertaken on the
basis of notifications submitted by Members in the areas of market access, domestic support and
export subsidies and under the provisions of the Agreement relating to export prohibitions and
restrictions.  In total, 196 notifications in these four areas were subject to review in the Committee.
At each of its meetings, the Committee also reviewed  the overall position with respect to compliance
with the notification obligations under Article 18.2 and other relevant provisions of the Agreement.
The current situation concerning compliance with notification requirements is summarized in theAnnex to this report.
3. The Committee addressed a wide range of general and specific matters relevant to the
implementation of commitments that were raised, independently of notifications, under the provisions
of Article 18.6 of the Agreement.  A number of these matters have been subject to informal
consultations.
4. As a follow-up to the relevant Committee recommendations that were approved by the Doha
Ministerial Conference, the following implementation-related issues were considered or further
considered at the Committee's meetings (G/AG/11 refers):
(i) Article 10.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture:  the development of internationally
agreed disciplines to govern the provision of export credits, export credit guaranteesor insurance programmes, taking into account the provisions of paragraph 4 of the
Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform
Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing Countries
(Marrakesh NFIDC Decision);
(ii) Examination of Possible Means of Improving the Effectiveness the Marrakesh
NFIDC Decision: food aid (paragraph 3(i) and (ii) of the Decision, technical andG/L/594
Page 2
financial assistance in the context of aid programmes to improve agricultural
productivity and infrastructure (paragraph 3(iii) of the Decision), and financing of
normal levels of commercial imports of basic foodstuffs (paragraphs 4 and 5 of the
Decision);  and
(iii) Members' Addenda to their notifications submitted to the Committee on Agriculture
(Table MA:1) in accordance with paragraph 1.1 of the Decision of the GeneralCouncil in WT/L/384 regarding the administration of tariff rate quota regimes in a
transparent, equitable and non-discriminatory manner.
In line with the reporting requirements approved by the Doha Ministerial Conference, a follow-up
report on these issues was submitted to the General Council on the responsibility of the Chairman
(G/AG/14 refers).
5. At the meeting of the Committee in March, Dominica and Jordan were included in the WTO
list of net food-importing developing countries (G/AG/5/Rev.5 refers).  This list currently comprises
the least-developed countries as recognized by the United Nations, and the following 23 developing
country Members of the WTO:  Barbados, Botswa na, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Egypt, Honduras, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Saint Kitts
and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia and Venezuela.  The annual monitoring exercise on the follow-up to the Marrakesh NFIDCDecision as a whole was undertaken at the November meeting of the Committee.
6. At the meeting in September, the Committee held its annual Transitional Review under
paragraph 18 of the Protocol of Accession of the People's Republic of China.  The Committee's report
regarding its review was submitted to the Council  for Trade in Goods on the responsibility of the
Chairman (G/AG/15 refers).
7. The following international intergovernmental organizations have regular observer status in
the Committee:  the FAO, the IMF, the International Grains Council, the OECD, UNCTAD, the
World Food Programme and the World Bank.  No consensus was reached as regards requests for
observer status by eleven other international/ intergovernmental organizations (G/AG/W/29/Rev.5
refers).G/L/594
Page 3
OUTSTANDING NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION YEAR 1995
1. The following Member is yet to submit the notification of imports under tariff and other quotas
(Table MA:2 ):
Nicaragua
2. The following Member is yet to submit the annual notification concerning the use of the special
safeguard provisions. (Table MA:5 ):
Swaziland
3. The following Members without  Total AMS reduction commitments are yet to submit the relevant
domestic support notification (Table DS:1 ):
Antigua and Barbuda Bahrain* Belize Brunei Darussalam
Cameroon Côte d'Ivoire Dominica GhanaKuwait* Mauritius   Nicaragua Saint Lucia
St Vincent & Grenadines Senegal Suriname Swaziland
4. The following Members without  export subsidy reduction commitments are yet to submit the
relevant notification. (Table ES:1 ):
Antigua and Barbuda Bahrain Belize Brunei Darussalam
Burkina Faso Burundi* Cameroon Central African Rep.Côte d'Ivoire Djibouti Guinea Bissau Guinea, Rep. of
India Kuwait Lesotho Mali*
Mauritania Mauritius Mozambique Saint Lucia
Senegal St Vincent & Grenadines Sierra Leone Swaziland
Tanzania Togo
A " * " indicates a notification has been received.   A request or suggestion by the Secretariat for additional information
in order to complete the notification has yet to be responded to.G/L/594
Page 4
OUTSTANDING NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION YEAR 1996
1. The following Member is yet to submit the notification of imports under tariff and other quotas.
(Table MA:2 ):
Nicaragua
2. The following Members are yet to submit the annual notification concerning the use of the special
safeguard provisions. (Table MA:5 ):
Nicaragua and Swaziland
3. The following Member with Total AMS reduction commitments is yet to submit the relevant domestic
support notification. (Table DS:1 ):
Papua New Guinea
4. The following Members without  Total AMS reduction commitments are yet to submit the relevant
domestic support notification. (Table DS:1 ):
Antigua and Barbuda Bangladesh* Belize Botswana
Brunei Darussalam Burundi* Cameroon Central African Republic
Côte d'Ivoire Djibouti Dominica Ghana
Grenada Guatemala Guinea Bissau Guinea, Republic ofKuwait Lesotho Mali* MauritaniaMauritius Mozambique Nicaragua QatarSaint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia St Vincent & Grenadines SenegalSierra Leone Suriname Swaziland Tanzania
Togo
5. The following Members without  export subsidy reduction commitments are yet to submit the relevant
notification. (Table ES:1 ):
Antigua and Barbuda Belize Benin Brunei Darussalam
Burkina Faso Burundi* Cameroon Central African Rep.
Chad* Côte d'Ivoire Djibouti GambiaGrenada Guinea Bissau Guinea, Rep. of KuwaitLesotho Mali* Mauritania MauritiusMorocco Mozambique Nicar agua Papua New Guinea
Rwanda St. Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia St Vincent & Grenadines
Senegal Sierra Leone Solomon Islands SwazilandTanzania Togo Trinidad and Tobago
A " * " indicates a notification has been received.   A request or suggestion by the Secretariat for additional information
in order to complete the notification has yet to be responded to.G/L/594
Page 5ANNEX:  N OTIFICATIONS RECEIVED FOR THE YEARS 1997-2001
MA:1 MA:2 MA:5 DS:1 ES:1 ES:2
One- Imports under tariff quotas Special safeguard Domestic support Export subsidies Total exports
off 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
A l b a n i a  ( 8  S e p t  2 0 0 0 )N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN AN AN AN A
Angola NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
A n t i g u a  a n d  B a r b u d a N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N AN AN AN AN A
A r g e n t i n a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X X X XX X X XXXX
Australia X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X X X X XXXXX
B a h r a i n N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X* NA NA NA NA NA
Bangladesh NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) X* (NA) (NA) XX X NA NA NA NA NA
Barbados X X XXX X XXX X XXX X XX X NA NA NA NA NA
Belize NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
B e n i n N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
B o l i v i a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX X X X X XX NA NA NA NA NA
Botswana NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Brazil XX X NA NA NA NA NA X X X X XX
B r u n e i  D a r u s s a l a m N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N AN AN AN AN A
Bulgaria XX X X X X X X X X X X XXX
Burkina Faso NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X* (NA) (NA) XX X NA NA NA NA NA
B u r u n d i N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A ( N A ) X* (NA) X* (NA) X* X* X* X* NA NA NA NA NA
Cameroon NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Canada XX X X X X X X X X X X X XXX
Central African Rep. NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
Chad NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X* (NA) X* (NA) X* X* X* X* NA NA NA NA NA
C h i l e N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X X X X XX X X XXXX
China (11 Dec 2001) X NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Chinese Taipei
(1 Jan 2002)X NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Colombia X X XXX X XXX X X X X X X X XX
C o n g o N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N AN AN AN AN A
Costa Rica XX X X X X X X X X XX X XXX
Côte d'Ivoire NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NAG/L/594
Page 6ANNEX:  N OTIFICATIONS RECEIVED FOR THE YEARS 1997-2001
MA:1 MA:2 MA:5 DS:1 ES:1 ES:2
One- Imports under tariff quotas Special safeguard Domestic support Export subsidies Total exports
off 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Croatia (30 Nov 2000) NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Cuba NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X XXX XX XX X X X X X
Cyprus NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X X X X X X XX
Czech Republic X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X X X XXXX
Democratic Rep.
CongoNA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
Djibouti NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
Dominica NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X NA NA NA NA NA
Dominican Republic X NA NA X NA NA NA NA NA XX X X X X NA NA NA NA NA
EC-15 X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X XXXX
Ecuador X X XXX X XXX X XXX X XX X NA NA NA NA NA
E g y p t N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
El Salvador X X XX X XXX XX XXX XX XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Estonia (13 Nov 1999) NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX NA NA XXX NA NA NA NA NA
Fiji NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX NA NA NA NA NA
G a b o n N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX X X X X XX NA NA NA NA NA
G a m b i a ,  T h e N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X (NA) (NA) X NA NA NA NA NA
Georgia
(14 Jun 2000)NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX NA NA NA XX NA NA NA NA NA
G h a n a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
G r e n a d a N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N AN AN AN AN A
Guatemala XX X X X X X X X X NA NA NA NA NA
Guinea Bissau NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
Guinea, Republic of NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
Guyana NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
H a i t i N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X (NA) X (NA) XX X NA NA NA NA NA
Honduras NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X X X X XX X X XXXX
H o n g  K o n g ,  C h i n a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X XXX XX XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Hungary X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X X XXXXX
Iceland X X XXX X XX X X X X X X X X
I n d i a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX X X X NA NA NA NA NAG/L/594
Page 7ANNEX:  N OTIFICATIONS RECEIVED FOR THE YEARS 1997-2001
MA:1 MA:2 MA:5 DS:1 ES:1 ES:2
One- Imports under tariff quotas Special safeguard Domestic support Export subsidies Total exports
off 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Indonesia X X XXX X XXX X XXX X X X X XXXX
Israel X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X X X X XXXXX
J a m a i c a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX X X X NA NA NA NA NA
Japan X X XXX X XXX X X X X XX X X X NA NA NA NA NA
Jordan (11 Apr 2000) NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X NA NA NA XX NA NA NA NA NA
K e n y a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X NA NA NA NA NA
Korea X X XXX X XXX X X X X XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Kuwait NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Kyrgyz Rep. NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X NA NA NA NA NA NA
Latvia  (10 Feb 1999) X NA NA X NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX NA NA XX NA NA NA NA NA
Lesotho NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
Lithuania
(31 May 2001)NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
M a c a o ,  C h i n a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X XXX XX XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Madagascar NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) X (NA) (NA) XX X NA NA NA NA NA
Malawi NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) X (NA) X (NA) XX X X X NA NA NA NA NA
Malaysia XX * X * X X X X X X
Maldives NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX (NA) (NA) XX NA NA NA NA NA
Mali NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) X* (NA) X* (NA) X* X* X* X* NA NA NA NA NA
M a l t a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX X X X X XX NA NA NA NA NA
Mauritania NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
M a u r i t i u s N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N AN AN AN AN A
Mexico XX X X X X X X X X X X* X* X*
Moldova
(26 July 2001)NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X* NA NA NA NA X NA NA NA NA NA
Mongolia NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX X X X X X * NA NA NA NA NA
Morocco X X XXX X XXX X X X X XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Mozambique NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
M y a n m a r N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX X X (NA) XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
N a m i b i a N A N A N AN AN AN A XX X X X X XX X X X NA NA NA NA NA
New Zealand X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X X X X X XXXXXG/L/594
Page 8ANNEX:  N OTIFICATIONS RECEIVED FOR THE YEARS 1997-2001
MA:1 MA:2 MA:5 DS:1 ES:1 ES:2
One- Imports under tariff quotas Special safeguard Domestic support Export subsidies Total exports
off 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Nicaragua XX X X X NA NA NA NA NA
Niger NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
N i g e r i a N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX NA NA NA NA NA
Norway X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X X X X XXXXX
Oman (9 Nov 2000) NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X* X* NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Pakistan NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX X X X X X X
Panama XX X X X X X X X*
Papua New Guinea NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Paraguay NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X XXX XX XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Peru NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX X X X X NA NA NA NA NA
Philippines X X XXXXX XXX XX XXX XX XX X XX
Poland X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X X X X XXXXX
Q a t a r N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A XX NA NA NA NA NA
Romania X X XX X XX X XX X X X XXX
Rwanda NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
S a i n t  K i t t s  a n d  N e v i s N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N AN AN AN AN A
S a i n t  L u c i a N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N AN AN AN AN A
St Vincent &
GrenadinesNA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
S e n e g a l N A N AN A N A N A N A N AN A N A N AN A N AN AN AN AN A
Sierra Leone NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
S i n g a p o r e N A N A N AN AN AN AN A N AN AN A N A X XXX XX XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Slovak Republic X X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X X X X X XXXXX
Slovenia X X XXXX NA NA NA NA NA X X X X X XX X X X NA NA NA NA NA
Solomon Islands NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
South Africa X X XXX X XXX X X X X X X X X X X XXXXX
Sri Lanka NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX NA NA NA NA NA
Suriname NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Swaziland NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Switzerland-
LiechtensteinX X XXXXX XXX X X X X X X X XXXXG/L/594
Page 9ANNEX:  N OTIFICATIONS RECEIVED FOR THE YEARS 1997-2001
MA:1 MA:2 MA:5 DS:1 ES:1 ES:2
One- Imports under tariff quotas Special safeguard Domestic support Export subsidies Total exports
off 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Tanzania NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
Thailand X X XXX X XXX X X XX X X XXXX
Togo NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) (NA) (NA) NA NA NA NA NA
Trinidad and Tobago NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X NA NA NA NA NA
Tunisia X X XXX X XXX X X X X XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
Turkey NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA XX X XX X X X X XXXX
Uganda NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) X (NA) (NA) XX X NA NA NA NA NA
United Arab Emirates NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X XXX XX XX X X NA NA NA NA NA
United States X X X X X* X* X X X X X X X X X X X XXXX
Uruguay NA NA NA NA NA NA X XXX XX XXX X X X X X X XXXXX
Venezuela XX X X X X X X X XX
Zambia NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA (NA) X (NA) (NA) XX X X X NA NA NA NA NA
Zimbabwe NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA X X X XX X XXXX
EXPLANATORY NOTES
(a) A blank indicates that the requirement applies to the Member concerned for the implementation year, but that no notification  was received to date.
(b) An " X" indicates a notification has been received.  No assessment of the completeness or quality of the notification with respect to  requirements is made or implied. " X*" indicates
that a request or suggestion by the Secretariat for additional information in order to complete the notification has yet to be responded to.
(c) " NA" indicates that the requirement was not applicable during the period covered either because no relevant measures are in place (e.g. tariff quotas) or because the country concerned
was not yet a WTO Member, hence there were no notification requirements pertaining to that period. " (NA) " indicates that domestic support notifications are required every second
year from LDC Members.
(d) Shaded boxes indicate that the Member concerned has a domestic support and/or an export subsidy reduction commitment shown i n Part IV, Section I and/or Section II, of its
Schedule.
__________