RESTRICTED  
  
WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
28 May 2021  
(21-4478) Page: 1/16 
Working Party on the Accession of Timor -Leste  Original: English  
 
ACCESSION OF TIMOR -LESTE  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT AND EXPORT SUBSIDIES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR  
The following submission, dated 2 1 May 2021, is being circulated the request of the Delegation 
of the Democratic Republic of Timor -Leste.  
 
_______________   
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 2 - Supporting Table DS:1  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Measures exempt from the reduction commitment - "Green Box"  
Measure type  Name and description of measure with 
reference to criteria in Annex 2 of the 
Agreement on Agriculture  Year Monetary value of 
measure in year in 
question, US$  Data sources  
1 2 3 4 5 
2. General Services    
  
(a): Research, including 
research for food security, 
environment and trade 
facilitation  Building Foundation for smart agriculture 
development, Inclusive Natural Resource 
Management monitoring and surveillance 
scheme; Evidence -based policy formulation 
and establishment of regulatory framework for 
natural resources management  
 
Export promotion and advisory services: 
Baseline study on the identification of local 
products that have poten tial for export market 
and to attract private investments in 
agriculture sector  2017 233,000  Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries 
Timor -Leste, Operating budget data  
 
Investment and Export Promotion 
Agency (TradeInvest Timor -Leste)  2018 239,000  
2019 244,000  
2017 -2019 Average  
 238,667  
 
(b): Pest and disease 
control:  
including general and 
product -specific pest and 
disease control measures, 
such as early -warning 
systems, quarantine and  
eradication  Preventive and curative control of plant and 
animal pests and diseases (cereal crops, 
horticulture, bovine, poultry, pork), capacity 
building for inspectors and laboratory 
managers of plant protection and veterinary  2017 612,000  Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries 
Timor -Leste, Operating budget data 2018 621,000  
2019 627,000  
2017 -2019 Average  620,000  
(d): Extension services 
and advisory services, 
including the provision of 
means to facilitate the 
transfer of information and 
the results of research to 
farmer producers and 
consumers  Demonstration plots and demonstration areas 
Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), Good 
Management Practices (GMP), Community 
Based Natural Resource Management 
(CBNRM), Watershed Management and 
Farmer Field School on Horticulture 
Development.  2017 450,000  Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries 
Timor -Leste, Operating budget data  
 
 
 2018 465,000  
2019 475,000  
2017 -2019 Average  
 
  463,333  
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 3 - Measure type  Name and description of measure with 
reference to criteria in Annex 2 of the 
Agreement on Agriculture  Year Monetary value of 
measure in year in 
question, US$  Data sources  
(e): Inspection services, 
including general 
inspection services and the 
inspection of particular 
products  Improvement management services in the 
area of plant protection services, veterinary 
services, quarantine services, veterinary and 
plant health inspection; Food safety 
inspection; Managing the quality control, 
inspection and issuing exp ort permit and 
import permit letter; Supports private sector 
compliance with quality control and food 
safety regulations  2017 261,000  Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries 
Timor -Leste, Operating budget data  2018 266,000  
2019 268,000  
2017 -2019 Average  265,000  
(f): Marketing and 
promotion services:  
Development of Marketing 
and Promotion System, 
include synergizing 
alliance along value chain 
supply chain to facilitate 
transformation subsistence 
farming toward 
entrepreneur agriculture  Developing marketing strategies and policies 
of connectivity rural and urban area, including 
supply chain marketing of inputs and 
marketing of products and provide services of 
marketing information and intelligence 
systems; Organization of exhibitions and 
monitoring.  2017 236,000  Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries 
Timor -Leste, Operating budget data  2018 216,360  
2019 216,000  
2017 -2019 Average  222,787  
(g): Infrastructural 
services, including 
electricity reticulation, 
roads and other means of 
transport, market and port 
facilities, dams and 
drainage schemes, and 
infrastructural work 
associated with 
environmental 
programmes  Design and implementation of ir rigation for 
rice production & horticulture production, 
building laboratories and facilities for soil, pest 
and disease analysis, access road and 
electricity  2017 1,794,000  Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries 
Timor -Leste, Operating budget data  2018 194,000  
2019 684,000  
2017 -2019 Average  890,667  
3. Public stockholding for 
food security:  
procurement of stocks is 
undertaken at market 
prices  Contingency Fund for Purchase of Rice  2017 1,188,070.20  National Logistical Centre,  
Office of the Coordinating Minister for 
Economic Affairs  2018 0 
2019 345,234  
2017 -2019 Average  511,101.40  
TOTAL  2017 4,774,070.20   
2018 2,001,360  
2019 2,859,234  
2017 -2019 Average  3,211,555.40  
 
 
   
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 4 - Supporting Table DS:2  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Measures exempt from the reduction commitment - Special and Differential Treatment - "Development Programmes"  
Measure type  Name and description of measure with reference 
to criteria in Article 6.2 of t he Agreement on 
Agriculture  Monetary value of measure in 
year in question  
(TL) Data sources  
1 2 3 4 
NIL 
 
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 5 - Supporting Table DS:3  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Measures exempt from the reduction commitment - Direct Payments under Production -Limiting Programmes - "Exempt Direct Payments"  
Measure type  Name and description of measure with reference to 
criteria in Article 6.5 of the Agreement on Agriculture  Monetary value of measure 
in year in questio n  
(TL) Data sources  
1 2 3 4 
NIL 
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 6 - Supporting Table DS:4  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Calculation of the Total Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS)  
Description of basic products (including non-
product -specific AMS)  Product -specific AMS (from Supporting 
Tables DS:5 to DS:7 below)  
(TL) Product -specific equivalent 
measurements of support (from 
Supporting Table DS:8 below)  
(TL) Current Total AMS (aggregate)  
(TL) 
1 2 3 4 
NIL 
 
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 7 - Supporting Table DS:5  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Product -Specific Aggregate Measurements of Support (AMS): Market Price Support  
Description of 
basic products  Calendar/marketing  
year Measure 
type(s)  Applied 
administered 
price  
(TL/tonne)  External 
reference price 
(TL/tonne)  Eligible 
production 
(tonnes)  Associated 
fees/levies  
(TL) Total market 
price support 
(TL) Data sources  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 
NIL 
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 8 - Supporting Table DS:6  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Product -Specific Aggregate Measurements of Support (AMS): Non -Exempt Direct Payments  
Description of 
basic 
products  Calendar/marketing 
year Measure 
type(s)  Applied 
administered 
price External 
reference 
price Eligible 
production 
(tonnes)  Total price -
related 
direct 
payments 
(TL) Other non -
exempt 
direct 
payments 
(TL) Associated 
fees/ levies  Total direct 
payments 
(TL) Data 
sources  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 
NIL 
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 9 - Supporting Table DS:7  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Product -Specific Aggregate Measurements of Support: Other Product -Specific Support and Total Product -Specific AMS  
Description of 
basic products  Calendar/ 
marketing 
year Measure 
type(s)  Other 
product -
specific 
budgetary 
outlays  Other 
product -
specific 
support 
(include 
calculation 
details)  Associated 
fees/levies  Total 
product -
specific 
support  
(TL) Market price 
support 
(Supporting 
Table DS:5)  
(TL) Non-exempt 
direct 
payments 
(Supporting 
Table DS:6) 
(TL) Total AMS 
(TL) Data sources  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
(4+5-6) 8 9 10 
(7+8+9)  11 
NIL 
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 10 - Supporting Table DS:8  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Product -Specific Equivalent Measurements of Support  
Description 
of basic 
products  Calendar/marketing 
year Measure 
type(s)  Applied 
administered 
price Production 
eligible to 
receive applied 
administered 
price (tonnes)  Market price 
support 
budgetary 
outlays (TL)  Equivalent 
measurement 
of support 
(include 
calculation 
details)  Non-
exempt 
direct 
payments 
(TL) Other 
product -
specific 
support 
(TL) Associated 
fees/levies 
(TL) Total 
monetary 
value of 
equivalent 
commitment 
(TL) Data 
sources  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 
NIL 
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 11 - Supporting Table DS:9  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Non-Product -Specific AMS  
Measure type(s)  Calendar/marketing 
year Non-product -
specific 
budgetary 
outlays (TL)  Other non -
product -specific 
support (include 
calculation details)  Associated 
fees/levies 
(TL) Total non -product -
specific support 
(TL) Data sources  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
(3+4-5) 7 
NIL 
  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 12 - Supporting Table ES:1  
EXPORT SUBSIDIES: TIMOR -LESTE  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEARS 2017 -2019  
Export Subsidies: Outlay and Quantity  
Description of 
products  Direct 
export 
subsidies 
(TL) Sales of stocks 
(TL) Producer financed 
subsidies  
(TL) Cost reduction 
measures  
(TL) Internal 
transport 
subsidies (TL)  Total product 
specific export 
subsidies  
(TL) Quantity of 
subsidized exports 
(tonnes)  Data source  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 
NIL 
 
 
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 13 - 
 
  ANNEX  
FOREIGN AID POLICY: PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING NON -LENDING ASSISTANCE TO 
TIMOR -LESTE  
The Government of Timor -Leste recognizes the international community's important historic and 
ongoing contributions to Timor -Leste. Since the inception of this nation, development cooperation has 
played a crucial role in providing support to the Government  and people of Timor -Leste and has bolstered 
development efforts towards achieving the goals set out in the 2030 Strategic Development Plan, that 
is, to transform Timor -Leste from a low income to an upper middle income country, with a healthy,  
well-educat ed, and safe population by 2030.  
The role of external assistance in Timor -Leste is changing. Due to a combination of factors ranging from 
the nation's sustained growth and relative stability to shifting donor global priorities, levels of external 
assistanc e are experiencing a general downward trend. This is why it is vital for all development 
stakeholders to work together to maximize the benefits of development assistance in a country -owned, 
and country -led manner.  
In order to achieve this, the Government Resolution No. 26/2019 of 25 September 2019, the Aid Policy 
was passed, calling on development partners to:  
1. Align and cost all activities to Timor -Leste's Planning Frameworks: the Strategic Development 
Plan 2011 - 2030 (SDP) Sub -pillar level, the Governmen t Sub -program level, the Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs), and, when relevant, the Ministerial Annual Action Plans and/or 
Sector Strategies.  
2. Follow the proposed procedures for the approval of activities and country partnership strategies, 
thus improvi ng planning and integration of assistance into Government systems.  
3. Take measures to improve and increase their use of country systems.  
Through the Aid Policy, the Government reaffirms that all development stakeholders must remain 
committed to Timor -Leste 's country -owned and country -led development path. The Aid Policy builds on 
the lessons learned from the "Aid Management Effectiveness Policy" approved by the Council of Ministers 
on 28 March 2017. The framework presented below maintains the spirit of the previous document while 
expanding on the processes and procedures necessary to effectively implement the ambitious goal of 
more effectively coordinating non -lending assistance in the country while emphasizing the need for 
development partner support to be channelled via country systems. For the purposes of this document, 
non-lending assistance can be provided in one, or a combination, of the following ways:  
I. Direct Financing  
a. General budget/sector Support  
b. Project Support  
 II. In-Kind Support  
a. Technical Assistance  
i. Advisory and Analytical Work  
ii. Training and Capacity Building  
b. Value of Goods  
i. Construction  
ii. Equipment Transfer  
 
International development partners are playing an important role in developing the agriculture sector 
through their support to more than  70% population of Timor -Leste that rely on subsistence agricultural 
practice.  
The international development partners support between 2017 and 2019 were allocated to support 
the Strategic Plan 2014 – 2020 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to ach ieve the overarching 
target of Timor -Leste Strategic Development Plan goals 2011 –2030.  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 14 - 
 
  According to Book -5 Budget (Development Partners Budget Support), a total of US$ 70,875,000 was 
allocated in the consecutive years of 2017 –2019 to the Ministry of Agricu lture and Fisheries. This amount 
of funding was used under two categories of expenses, where 44.9% of the total planned disbursement 
was provided through grant project while 50.3% of the total planned disbursement was through 
technical assistance.  
The tabl e below elaborated the domestic support that was allocated through the Development Partners 
funding, which is classified under General Services support between 2017 and 2019.  
  WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 15 - 
 
  TABLE  
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURE SECTOR THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT OF 
TIMOR -LESTE  
In US$  
Measure  2017  2018  2019  Average  Primary international 
donors  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
2. General Services       
(a): Research,  
 
including general 
research, research in 
connection with 
environmental 
programmes, and 
research programmes 
relating to particular  
products  654,000  
 744,000  0 466,000  Research for achieving 
goals of food security and 
livelihood of 64% 
population engage in 5 
agriculture sub sectors 
(food crops, industrial 
crops, livestock, fisheries 
and forestry. Donors are 
EU, USAID, DFAT, JICA, 
WB, ADB, GIZ, FAO.   
(b): Pest and 
disease control,  
 
including general and 
product -specific pest 
and disease control 
measures, such as 
early-warning systems, 
quarantine and  
eradication  0 129,000  0 43,000  Technical expert were 
hired to draft pesticide 
decree law for the Ministry 
of Agricultu re and 
Fisheries. Furthermore, 
assist the National 
Quarantine Office to 
improve inspection 
procedures.  
 
Main donors are USAID 
and FAO.  
(c): Training 
services,  
 
including general and 
specialist training 
facilities   1,429,000  
 3,921,321  2,893,000  2,747,774  Main donors are UE -GIZ, 
WB, ADB, JICA, DFAT.  
(d): Extension and 
advisory services ,  
 
including provision of 
means to facilitate the 
transfer of information 
and the results of 
research to producers 
and consumers  0 8,875,000  7,584,000  5,486,333  Community Base Natural 
Resource Management 
(CBNRM) by JICA & DFAT, 
Agroforestry by EU & GIZ, 
Watershed Management by 
World Bank, FAO, GIZ, 
FAO. 
(f): Marketing and 
promotion services ,  
 
Development of 
Marketing and 
Promotion System, 
include synergizing 
alliance along value 
chain supply chain to 
facilitate 
transformation 
subsistence farming 
toward entrepreneur 
agriculture  1,340,000  8,466,000  12,835,000  7,547,000  Promote Farmers Market 
by JICA, Inputs and 
technology promotion by 
DFAT -MDF, Horticulture 
and fruticulture by USAID -
AVANSA, Derivate 
agriculture and forest 
product by World Bank -
SAPIP.  
(g): Infrastructural 
services,   4,306,000  5,592,000  5,777,000  5,225,000  Irrigation by JICA, Rural 
roads by EU, Horticulture WT/ACC/SPEC/TLS/1  
 
- 16 - 
 
  Measure  2017  2018  2019  Average  Primary international 
donors  
1 2 3 4 5 6 
 
including electricity 
reticulation, roads and 
other means of 
transport, market and 
port facilities, wate r 
supply facilities, dams  
and drainage schemes, 
and infrastructural 
works associated with  
environmental 
programmes   greenhouse and facilities 
by USAID and postharvest 
handling by FAO.  
TOTAL  7,729,000  27,727,321  29,089,000  21,515,107   
 
 
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