WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/AG/N/AUS/37
12 October 2001
(01-5006)
Committee on Agriculture Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The attached notifications concerning new or modified domestic support measures exempt
from reduction ( Table DS:2 ) were received from the delegation of Australia on 21 September 2001.G/AG/N/AUS/37
Page 2
Table DS:2
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: Australia
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:
New or modified domestic support me asures exempt from reduction
(1) Full title of measure:   Supermarket to Asia:  The Delicatessen Programme.
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil.  Authority by Cabinet through the budget process.
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:
Australian food producers were assisted to better appreciate the specific requirements of
customers and enable them to capture opportunities for high value, niche market foodstuffs.
The major element of the programme is eight pilot projects to assist groups of producers.
The programme involved researching the scope  for Australia to competitively provide
products through developing a set of case studies, based on actual producer experience,
examining the extent to which producers are able to enter new markets and the difficulties
that they encounter.
The programme is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent with paragraph 2(f) –
Marketing and promotion services – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.
(4) Cost of measure:   $ 1 million.
(5) Date of entry into effect:  1 July 1997.
(6) Period of application:   12 months.
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s):  The programme focussed on
Australian foodstuffs but did not target a particular product group.G/AG/N/AUS/37
Page 3
Table DS:2
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: Australia
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:
New or modified domestic support me asures exempt from reduction
(1) Full title of measure:   National Weeds Programme.
(2) Domestic legislation:   Natural Heritage Trust Act 1997.
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:
The National Weeds Program  is an initiative of the Natural Heritage Trust aimed at helping
reduce the impact of weeds on the environment and agricultural production.  Through the
program, the Commonwealth is assisting States, local government and landholders to managethe impact of weeds on the environment and agricultural production.  This is to be done
through the implementation of key activities of the National Weeds Strategy.  As part of this
strategy, funds have been used to develop and implement a national Weed Risk Assessment
procedure to prevent new weed species entering Australia.  Funds are also provided to
promote awareness of weed issues in the community.
The majority of funds will be provided to activi ties identified under the national strategies for
the twenty Weeds of National Significance.  Activities will put in place mechanisms to
prevent the further spread of these weeds and coordinate community control programs.  The
National Weeds Program is administered jointly by the Department of Agriculture Fisheries
and Forestry Australia (AFFA) and Environment Australia (EA), and is delivered through the
Natural Heritage Trust.   AFFA administers $18.5 million, which will be allocated primarilyto agricultural and forestry weeds and Environment Australia has $10 million, primarily for
environmental weeds.
The program is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent with paragraph 2 (b) – Pest
and disease control – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.
4) Cost of measure:   $28.5 million over a six-year period.
(5) Date of entry into effect:   1 July 1997.
(6) Period of application:   Six years.
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s)):   The benefit of the National
Weeds Program covers all agricultural products.G/AG/N/AUS/37
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Table DS:2
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: Australia
Notification under Article 18:3 of the Agreement:
New or modified domestic support me asures exempt from reduction
(1) Full title of measure:   CP2002 Sugar Programme.
(2) Domestic legislation:   Nil.
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:
Funding of $13.45 million has been made available to address key productivity issues in the
sugar industry with an initial focus on factors affecting sugar content levels.
The program is exempt from the reduction commitment consistent with paragraph 2 (a) –
Research – of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.
(4) Cost of measure:   $13.45 million over 4 years.
(5) Date of entry into effect:   1 July 1998.
(6) Period of application:   Four years.
(7) Products to principally benefit (if any individual product(s) ):   Sugar.
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