. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONTN/AG/9
8 April 2003
(03-1924)
Committee on Agriculture
Special Session
EIGHTEENTH 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 is conducting negotiations under
paragraphs 13, 14 and other relevant provisions of the Doha Ministerial Declaration (TN/C/M/1
refers), held its eighteenth formal meeting on 31 March 2003 on the basis of the agenda set out in
WTO/AIR/2055.  This meeting was preceded by an informal Special Session on 25 and 28 March, in
advance of which a revision of the First Draft of Modalities for Further Commitments had been
circulated for consideration (TN/AG/ W/1/Rev.1, dated 18 March 2003, refers).
2. In reporting to the formal meeting on 31 March 2003 on the main features of the previous
week's informal Special Session and related technical consultations, the Chairman noted that
considerable progress has been made in some areas.  However, overall, participants remained far apart
on key issues and, in the absence of collective guidance from participants on possible bases for
compromise, there was no scope for producing a second draft modalities at this juncture.  In these
circumstances it was accordingly not possible to establish modalities within the time-limit foreseen byMinisters.  A number of statements were made by participants regarding the stage reached in the
negotiations, the seriousness of the situation resulting from the failure to establish modalities by the
deadline designated by Ministers, and regarding the need for the Special Session to continue and
intensify its work in order to establish modalities for further reform as soon as possible.  Participants'
statements and contributions will be reflected in the Secretariat summary report on the meeting (to be
issued as TN/AG/R/8).
II. OUTSTANDING ISSUES
3. At the informal and formal Special Sessions participants engaged in intensive and detailed
discussion on a broad range of issues on the basis, inter alia , of the revision of the First Draft of
Modalities.  In addition, many delegations held bilateral and plurilateral meetings in the course of the
informal Special Session and I, as Chairman, held consultations with many delegations.  While useful
progress continues to be made in my informal technical and other consultations on a lengthening listof issues, the basic position remains that, for the time being, convergence on key issues remains
elusive.
III. FURTHER WORK
4. The general conclusions which I presented in the light of the comments and suggestions made
by participants, including with respect to future work, are set out in the attachment hereto.
5. My conclusions as to how the further negotiations on agriculture are to be organized in the
period ahead received general endorsement.  However, one delegation indicated that, in the light of
the failure to meet the 31 March deadline for the establishment of modalities, it needed to reflect
carefully on the proposed method of work before it would be in a position to decide whether it could
agree to working along the lines suggested.TN/AG/9
Page 2
Attachment
Eighteenth Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture
Conclusions by the Chairman in the light of the discussion under Agenda Items A (i) and (ii)
• I would like to thank you all for your very focu ssed and sincere statements today, and for your
continuing strong engagement in our various meetings and consultations.  I believe that you have,
as I foreshadowed in my earlier report, reaf firmed very much your commitment to the
negotiations and your willingness to keep working.
• In the situation we are now in, our primary objective must be the establishment of modalities for
further reform as soon as possible and I call on all participants to continue to work together with
that objective firmly in mind.  Compromises simply must be found on the many issues which are
before us.
• Indeed it is clear that we will have to work even harder in the coming period, both here in Geneva
and in and between capitals, to develop the base s and frameworks for the necessary compromises.
Achieving this will require a greater appreciation on all sides of the sensitivities and expectations
of others.  All of us therefore need to reflect on our respective positions and approaches.
• For my part, I will continue to organize technical and other consultations in order to facilitate
progress on all fronts, taking into account also the need for a balanced work programme.  In
carrying out this work we should bear in mind that consultations on specific issues have to be seenas part of the package as a whole, that is, they have to be seen in their proper context.  I would
hope, in the near future, to receive clear signals of possible movement on key issues.
• Further consultations would start after the Easter break and you would be informed as much in
advance as possible of the likely dates and subjects.  I have noticed also the interest in grouping
consultations and I am certainly sympathetic to that but have to enter the caveat that we havemany practical constraints both in terms of the scheduling of meetings and the availability of the
necessary logistical support.  So I cannot make any commitments on that but of course I will be
trying to do what I can.
• Looking a little further ahead, as I think you know from previous announcements at the last
Special Session, our next Special Sessions will be held in June and July.  I will report to these
Sessions on progress made in the forthcoming consultations and I hope also on those occasions
that I will hear from you on the work that you have undertaken.  Given our failure today toestablish the modalities, these meetings clearly now have added significance.
• In conclusion, the task ahead and our common responsibility, is, I would say, simple and clear.
We must continue working together towards completing the job given to us by our Ministers in
Doha as soon as possible.
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