G/AG/GEN/139  
8 March  2017 
(17-1381) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Agriculture  Original:  Spanish  
 
  THE IICA IN THE WTO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE WORK PLAN VII:  
JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2017  
SUBMISSION BY THE IICA  
The following submission, dated 27 February  2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA ). 
 
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1  BACKGROUND  
1.1.  In March  2010, the Committee on Agriculture of the World Trade Organization (WTO) granted 
the IICA ad hoc observer status in i ts regular meetings . Since June 2012, the IICA has been 
operating a WTO Reference Centre whi ch provides  information services in connection with  WTO 
agricultural issues  and is open to individuals, associations and institutions from government, 
business and academic circles and the general public that are interested in obtaining information 
to impr ove their technical capacity in the areas of agriculture and international trade . 
1.2.  A number of joint technical cooperation activities have been conducted in the framework of 
the existing alliance between the IICA and the WTO on subjects of particular intere st to the 
two institutions and their member countries, including, in 2016 , two t echnical fora : one on the  
outcomes in agriculture of the Nairobi Ministerial Conference and certain  implication s for 
IICA countries ; and the other on the  information services  provided by  the WTO Reference Centres  
and the  IICA Reference Centre . 
1.3.  In this context , the IICA submitted six joint Work Plans b etween 2010 and 2016 
(documents  G/AG/GEN/92 ; G/AG/GEN/95 ; G/AG/GEN/105 ; G/AG/GEN/115 ; G/AG/GEN/125 ; 
and G/AG/GEN/132 ). 
1.4.  In order to  ensure the continuity of the IICA's commitment, a seventh Work Plan has been 
drafted . This plan is to be submitted at the next regular meeting o f the Committee on Agriculture 
to be scheduled, for circulation to WTO Members . 
2  ACTIVITIES TO BE DEVELOPED IN R ELATION TO THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE 
ON AGRICULTURE  
2.1.  The following activities are under consideration : 
a. Participation in and attendance at meetings of the Committee on Agriculture : the IICA, 
as an observer member of this Committee, undertakes to participate in the regular 
meetings held at the WTO addressing matters within its competence . Following these 
meetings , the IICA prepares  technical bulletins  with a view to informing  IICA member 
countries of the most important issues  addressed during the meetings . 
b. Preparation of a paper on the IICA's contribution to the Marrakesh Decision and Food 
Security : the IICA undertakes to submit, at the regular meeting of the  Committee  to be 
held in October or November  2017, a contribution on what the Institute has 
accomplished  during the year in the food  security  area. It has publis hed submissions on 
this subject in 2010 (G/AG/GEN/93) ; in 2011 (G/AG/GEN/97) ; in 2012  (G/AG/GEN/104) ; G/AG/GEN/139  
- 2 - 
  in 2013 (G/AG/GEN/111) ; in 2014 (G/AG/GEN/125) ; in 2015 (G/AG/GEN/128) ; and in 
2016 (G/AG/GEN/136 ). 
c. Support for technical cooperation activities : the IICA will support the WTO in its technical 
cooperation activities geared towards  ministries of agriculture at both hemispheric level, 
through the Inter -American Board of Agriculture  (JIA), and sub -region al level , through 
the Southern Agricultural Council, the Central American Agricultural Council  (CAC), the 
Caribbean Allianc e and other ministerial bodies . This support is  designed to enhance the 
involvement of the IICA and its WTO Reference Centre in the d evelopment of such 
activities . 
d. Monitoring areas of common interest : the IICA will monitor the progress of the 
agricultural trade negotiations in the WTO and will prepare technically to provide 
technical training or advice to Latin American and Caribbean co untries in connection with  
the introduction by member countries of changes to their international trade policy . 
At the same time, should the WTO Secretariat require extra IICA technical staff to deal 
with demands of  this type, it will be able to rely on th e Institute 's support  in its 
geographical sphere (mainly Latin  America and the Caribbean) both for such activities 
and for other matters related to the agricultural areas in which the Institute works . 
e. Compliance by countries with agricultural notification requirements : in light of the fact  
that the Committee has identified , in document  G/AG/GEN/86/Rev.26 of October  2016, 
countries that have fallen behind in submitting agricultural notifications in accordance 
with the requirements and formats adopted in 19 95 by WTO Members (G/AG/2), 
the IICA will continue to support the WTO's initiatives to conduct regional workshops for 
Latin American and Caribbean countries to help them improve and update their 
agricultural policy notifications . Similarly, it will support a nd channel national and 
regional initiatives that require WTO technical cooperation.  
f. Preparation of technical documents : given the IICA 's extensive and  proven experience in 
this area, it will assist the WTO Secretariat with such activities  at the Committee 's 
request . 
3  THE AGRICULTURAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITHIN THE INSTITUTE  
3.1.  The IICA's activities in the WTO are conducted in the framework of the Flagship Project on 
the Competitiveness and Sustainability of Agricultural Chains for Food Security and Economic 
Development, under which th is Work Plan will be implemented . The implementation of this plan 
will help to strengthen IICA Member States' capacity to build relationships and par ticipate in 
international fora  and other mechanisms for the exchange of knowledge a nd mobilization of 
relevant resources for inter -American agriculture (in accordance with the IICA's 2014 -2018 
Medium -Term Plan) . Part of this contribution consists of following up on implementation -related 
issues concerning the Agreement on Agriculture and  progress in the agricultural trade 
negotiations, and building up capacity in administering agreements that emerge from these 
negotiations . 
3.2.  The IICA has an experienced network of experts in agriculture, international trade , and 
agricultural trade negotiati ons working  both in its central headquarters and in its offices located  in 
34 member countries  on the American continent , which will enable it to implement the technical 
cooperation activities set out in the Work Plan . 
3.3.  For further information, please conta ct: 
James French  
Lead Specialist for "Competitiveness and Sustainability of Agricultural Chains"  
Email : james.french@iica.int  
Tel.: (+506) 2216 -0218 
 
Adriana Campos Azofeifa  
Trade Specialist  
Email : adriana.campos@iica.int  
Tel.: (+506) 2216 -0170 
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