WT/GC/W/931  
 
9 April 2024  
(24-2973) Page: 1/4 
General Council  Original: English  
 
MOVING AGRICULTURE NEGOTIATIONS FORWARD  
COMMUNICATION FROM BRAZIL  
The following communication, dated 8 April  2024, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Brazil under the General Council 's agenda item: "Moving Agriculture Negotiations Forward – 
Request from Brazil" . 
 
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DRAFT DECISION FOR THE JULY 2024 GENERAL COUNCIL  
The General Council,  
 
Emphasizing  the critical role that a rules -based, non -discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable 
and transparent multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core can play in addressing 
contemporary challenges faced by the food and agric ultural systems including climate change and 
its impacts;  
 
Expressing  our deep concern that the share of people facing hunger in the world was around 9% of 
the global population, concentrated predominantly in developing countries, including least developed  
countries (LDCs), as recently estimated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the 
United  Nations;  
 
Underscoring  our determination to make progress towards the achievement of a fair, equitable and 
market -oriented agricultural trading system, ending hunger, achieving food security and improved 
nutrition, promoting sustainable agriculture and food systems, and promoti ng the adoption of 
resilient agricultural practices that enhance productivity and production in fulfilment of Sustainable 
Development Goal 2 of the United Nations, taking into account the interests of small -scale food and 
agriculture producers in developin g countries;  
 
Reiterating  our commitment to take concrete steps to facilitate trade and improve the functioning 
and long -term resilience of global markets for food and agriculture, with a view to enhancing global 
food security and ensuring that the agricul ture sector continues to make a positive contribution to 
addressing contemporary sustainability challenges;  
 
Noting  with concern the limited progress on most agriculture negotiating issues to date and 
recognizing that much work remains to be done to succes sfully conclude the negotiations;  
 
Reiterating  that trade, along with domestic production, plays a vital role in improving global food 
security in all its dimensions and enhancing nutrition; and emphasizing that progress in the 
negotiations will contribute  to enhancing global food security;  
 
Decides  that: 
 
1. Members commit to continue the agriculture negotiations in accordance with the reform 
objective of Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and subsequent Ministerial and 
other Decisions on agricu lture. Members shall accordingly make all concerted efforts towards 
achieving tangible progress and balanced outcomes in the negotiations by the Fourteenth 
Session (MC14).  WT/GC/W/931  
 
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  2. Members acknowledge the Report prepared by the Chair of the Special Session of the 
Committee on Agriculture (CoA -SS) under his responsibility1, which summarizes the state of 
play in the negotiations towards MC13. Members welcome the work done by the CoA -SS as 
reflected in the Chair's Report and commit to revitalize and intensify the nego tiations. The 
negotiations shall build on the work undertaken thus far and be based on discussions among 
Members, and their existing and future submissions.  
 
3. Members reiterate the importance of predictable agricultural and input markets and of 
facilitating  trade in these products, including by reducing the time and procedural costs related 
to their importation and exportation, in conformity with WTO agreements. Members may also 
consider discussing the role and impact of trade -restrictive measures, with a vi ew to enhancing 
their transparency and predictability and minimizing negative consequences and risks for 
exporters and importers.  
 
4. Members recognize the importance of the implementation of existing notification and 
transparency obligations under Article 18  of the AoA to provide notifications in a timely and 
comprehensive manner. Members agree to review in the CoA the notification requirements 
and formats specified in G/AG/2  to facilitate timely access to clear and relevant information 
by Members, taking into account the capacity constraints of developing country Members. The 
WTO Secretariat shall provide technical assistance to Members faci ng capacity constraints in 
fulfilling their notification and transparency requirements, at their request.  
 
5. Members reaffirm their commitment to ensure an effective implementation and monitoring of 
the Nairobi Ministerial Decision on Export Competition ( WT/MIN(15)/45 -WT/L/980 ), including 
by reviewing and exploring ways in the CoA to update the existing transparency requirements, 
by making best efforts to improve the response rate to the export competition questionnaire, 
and by exploring ways to enhance t he transparency of the implementation of the specific 
provisions therein for LDCs and NFIDCs. This takes into account the capacity constraints of 
developing country Members.  
 
6. Special and differential treatment for developing countries shall be an integral part of the 
negotiations. Consideration will be given to exempting LDCs from undertaking reduction 
commitments2. The nontrade concerns of Members shall be taken into account in the 
negotiations.  
 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT  
7. Members commit to pursue and intensify negotiations on domestic support, with a view to 
reducing substantially and progressively trade -distorting support in a fair and equitable 
manner, to encourage a shift towards less trade -distorting support, and improv ing disciplines 
in accordance with the reform objective in the AoA within a reasonable implementation period 
to be agreed by Members. These negotiations shall preserve developing country Members ' 
ability to assist agricultural and rural development, as wel l as to encourage diversification 
from growing illicit crops. Members will agree on the elements and the methodology of 
implementation of the reform according to the  Timeline for Implementation  section below.  
 
MARKET ACCESS  
8. Members commit to  pursue and in tensify negotiations on agricultural market access with a 
view to reducing substantially and progressively protection in a fair and equitable manner, to 
improve market access opportunities for all Members, and improving disciplines in accordance 
with the r eform objective in the AoA and within a reasonable timeframe to be agreed by 
Members. These negotiations shall take into account exporting Members' interests and 
importing Members' sensitivities, including non -trade concerns. Members will agree on the 
elements and the methodology of implementation of the reform according to the Timeline for 
Implementation section below.  
 
 
 
 
1 Document TN/AG/58 . 
2 The situation of recently graduated LDCs shall be considered.  WT/GC/W/931  
 
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  SSM 
9. Pursuant to the Nairobi Ministerial Decision ( WT/MIN(15)/43 –WT/L/978 ), Members commit to 
pursue and intensify negotiations in Ded icated Sessions of the CoA -SS on a special safeguard 
mechanism for developing country Members, as envisaged under paragraph 7 of the 
Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration ( WT/MIN(05)/DEC ), and to which the developing country 
Members will have the right to  have recourse under paragraph 1 of the Nairobi Ministerial 
Decision. Members will agree on the elements and the methodology of implementation of the 
reform according to the  Timeline for Implementation  section below.  
 
EXPORT PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS  
10. Members agree to continue discussions on export prohibitions or restrictions with a view to 
enhancing transparency and predictability and to improving disciplines in Article 12 of the AoA 
and Article XI:2(a) of the GATT 1994. The discussions shall take into  account the interests of 
all Members, with particular attention paid to the needs of LDCs and NFIDCs. Members will 
agree on the elements and the methodology of implementation of the decision according to 
the Timeline for Implementation  section below.  
 
EXPORT COMPETITION  
11. Members agree to continue negotiations to enhance disciplines on export credits, export credit 
guarantees or insurance programmes, agricultural exporting state trading enterprises and 
international food aid and other measures with equivalent effect to prevent circumvention of 
export subsidy elimination commitments including through non -commercial transactions. 
Special consideration shall be given to the needs and circumstances of least -developed and 
net food -importing developing cou ntries. Members will agree on the elements and the 
methodology of implementation of the decision according to the Timeline of Implementation 
section.  
 
COTTON TRADE -RELATED COMPONENT  
12. Members commit to pursue and intensify negotiations on cotton trade -relate d measures based 
on Members' submissions, and pursuant to the cotton -related elements of the Hong Kong 
Ministerial Declaration ( WT/MIN(05)/DEC ), as complemented by the Bali Cotton Ministerial 
Decision ( WT/MIN(13)/41 -WT/L/916 ), and the Nairobi Cott on Ministerial Decision 
(WT/MIN( 15)/46 -WT/L/981 ) to address it ambitiously, expeditiously and specifically within 
the agriculture negotiations. These negotiations shall seek to reduce substantially and 
progressively the trade -distorting domestic suppor t for cotton. Members will agree on the 
elements and the methodology of implementation of the decision according to the Timeline 
for Implementation section.  
 
13. The negotiations shall also seek to significantly reduce market access barriers, pursuant to 
the M inisterial outcomes listed in paragraph 12, for cotton -producing and exporting LDCs. 
Members are encouraged to open their markets allowing greater purchases of cotton products 
and byproducts from cotton -producing LDCs, including through the offer of duty -free quota 
free market access.  
 
14. Members undertake to continue efforts aimed at enhancing transparency and monitoring of 
cotton -related trade measures affecting the global cotton market through the Dedicated 
Discussions on Cotton held on a bi -annual basis, as mandated by paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 of 
the Bali Ministerial Decision on Cotton ( WT/MIN(13)/41 -WT/L/916 ) and confirmed in 
paragraph 14 of the Nairobi Ministerial Decision on Cotton ( WT/MIN(15)/46 -WT/L/981 ). 
Members reaffirm the need to respect  their notification obligations in the context of the 
required transparency.  
 
COTTON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE COMPONENT  
15. Members reaffirm that development -related aspects of cotton shall be addressed as provided 
for in paragraph 12 of the Hong Kong Ministeria l Declaration ( WT/MIN(05)/DEC ) and 
paragraphs 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the Nairobi Ministerial Decision ( WT/MIN(15)/46 -WT/L/981 ). 
 WT/GC/W/931  
 
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  16. Members reiterate their commitment to the rules -based multilateral trading system, which 
strengthens the possible syner gies between trade in cotton, productive investment and 
development assistance for LDCs. They recognize the need for an inclusive partnership that 
makes cooperation and negotiations the preferred instruments for finding the most 
appropriate solutions to th e considerable systemic and cyclical challenges faced by cotton 
producing and exporting LDCs, in particular the C -4 countries.  
 
17. Members underscore the central role of the WTO Director -General's Consultative Mechanism 
on Cotton as an international forum of reference bringing together the various stakeholders 
of the global cotton community (public and private sectors, and multilateral agencies) and as 
an effective multilateral consultation platform for the development of cotton -producing and 
exporting LDCs. A s such, they agree to coordinate cotton development assistance 
interventions, follow up on completed and ongoing projects, and use this platform to attract 
and mobilize further investment with a view to promoting and supporting the production, 
processing a nd marketing of cotton and its by -products in LDCs.  
 
18. Members welcome the initiatives undertaken with development partners over recent years 
such as partner conferences, World Cotton Day, or WTO -FIFA Memorandum, aimed at better 
integrating the cotton sector  of LDCs, in particular the C -4 countries, in global value chains 
for value -added products deriving from cotton and its byproducts, and encourage all 
development partners to intensify their efforts in this perspective.  
 
PUBLIC STOCKHOLDING FOR FOOD SECURIT Y PURPOSES (PSH)  
19. Pursuant to Bali Ministerial Decision ( WT/MIN(13)/38 -WT/L/913 ), the General Council 
Decision ( WT/L/939 ), and the Nairobi Ministerial Decision ( WT/MIN(15)/44 -WT/L/979 ), 
Members commit to pursue and intensify negotiations on PSH in Dedicated Sessions of the 
CoA-SS. The negotiations on PSH should pay  particular attention to the needs of LDCs and 
NFIDCs. A permanent solution on the issue of public stockholding for food security purposes 
shall be available to all developing country Members. Public stockholding programmes shall 
not distort trade or adver sely affect the food security of other Members. Members will agree 
on the elements and the methodology of implementation of the reform according to the  
Timeline of Implementation  section below.  
 
TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION  
20. In order to achieve tangible prog ress and concrete outcomes, Members instruct the CoA -SS 
Chair to provide, based on Members' contributions, annual negotiating schedules to discuss 
all aspects, including the elements and the methodology, of each of the negotiating topics in 
this Decision.  
 
21. The General Council shall regularly review progress in these negotiations.  
 
22. Senior Officials will review the progress achieved in the negotiations one year after MC13, 
particularly in relation to the definition of the elements and the methodology of 
imple mentation of the reform, and make recommendations for the way forward.  
 
23. Members shall adopt an intermediate framework of the agreement 4 months before MC14. 
This framework shall provide a comprehensive view of the basic structures of the agreement 
or other outcomes to be delivered by MC14 and may include texts with different levels of 
maturity.  
 
24. Members shall adopt a decision on modalities by MC14.  
 
25. Modalities shall be implemented as a package taking into consideration the overall balance of 
outcomes i n Agriculture in a timeframe to be decided by Members.  
 
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