G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
7 February  2018 
(18-0851) Page: 1/11 
Committee on Agriculture    
 
 
ARTICLE 18.6 - REVIEW IN THE COMMIT TEE ON AGRICULTURE  
Revision  
This document presents an overview of the questions raised by Members under Article 18.6 of the 
Agreement on Agriculture  (AoA) . Article 18.6 provides Members with the opportunity to raise any 
matter relevant to the implementation of commitments under the reform programme as set out in 
the Agreement on Agriculture. This document summarizes all the matters raised during the period 
between 1995 and 2017 , including information on Members who raised, and responded to, 
questions, the subject of questions and product coverage of questions. In preparing this report, 
the Secretariat used data extracted from the AG -IMS which includes questi ons and responses 
provided during the review process of the Committee on Agriculture.1 
 
This note is divided into two sections:  
 
1. General overview and;  
2. Questions raised in 2017 . 
 
Further, Annex 1 lists the total number of questions raised under Article 18.6  of the AoA  in 2017 , 
in addition to the number of times each issue has been raised in the previous  Committee Meetings.  
 
1  GENERAL OVERVIEW  
1.1.   In the period between 1995 and  2017, there were a total of 903 questions raised under 
Article  18.6. Chart 1 indicates  the number of questions raised each year, including repeated 
questions from previous meetings for which there had been no response. In the first year of the 
Committee, Members raised nine questions. However in the following years, there was a 
substantial increase in the number of questions raised. Questions under Article 18.6 have 
particularly intensified over the last years , peaking  in 2016  when  Members posed close to 
147 questions . Additionally, a s can be seen in Chart  2, the average number of questions raised 
under Article 18.6 per meeting has also been increasing since 2011 reaching an average of 
41 questions per meeting  in 2017 (three meetings) .  
                                                
1 Database available at: http://agims.wto.org/ . G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Chart 1  - Questions by year, 1995 -2017  
 
 
 
Chart 2 – Average number of questions per meeting , 1995 -2017  
 
 
93043
28
142217252727
1316242231
83355
3583
71147
123
020406080100120140160
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017NUMBER 051015202530354045
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017NUMBER  G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 3 - 
 
  1.2.  The majority of questions rela ted to market access issues (349 ), followed by domestic 
support (284 ) and export competition ( 235). Questions regarding export restrictions constituted a 
relatively small part, as only 14 were  raised . These numbers include 16 questions that covered 
more than one issue and that were accounted for in their relevant areas , as appropriate. One issue 
was presented as a general statement, and was therefore not counted as a question.  
Chart 3 - Questi ons by pillar, 1995 -2017 
 
 
1.3.  The majority of questio ns in the period of 1995 to 2017  were raised by developed country 
Members. While developing country Members have submitted more than one hundred questions 
since 1995, only eight developing country Members actively participated in submitting these 
questions. Ten questions were presented jointly by developed and developin g country Members  
(mixed group) . In terms of responses to questions, the majority of questions were directed at 
developing economies, while around  40% of the questions were directed to developed countries. 
Thirteen of the issues were either general questions without a specific respondent identified or 
statements for the Membership's information.  
1.4.  Chart 4 presents the breakdown of questions rais ed by Member s each year. The increase in 
the number of questions raised over the last years has been largely driven by developed country 
Members. In 2017, questions raised by the developing country Members  accounted for 9% of the 
total number of questions raised that year under Article 18.6.  
Domestic Support
32%
Market Access
39%
Export Competition
27%
Export restrictions
2%G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 4 - 
 
  Chart 4- Questions raised by Member s per year, 1995 -2017  
 
 
1.5.  In some instances questions posed in the context of Article 18.6 focused on specific product 
categories. As seen on Chart 5, over the per iod 1995 -2017, questions were concentrated on three 
product categories, as identified by the Secretariat: dairy,  cerea ls and meat products 
(224, 193 and 105 questions, respectively). Sugar and c otton were the focus of 66 and 
32 questions respectively. Questions posed in the context of Article 18.6 often related to more 
than one HS Chapter, thus the total number of questions reflected in Chart 5 is higher than the 
total number of questions asked over the reporting period.2 
Chart 5 – Questions by product group , 1995 -2017  
 
 
1.6.  Multiple questions may be raised on a single issue under Article 18.6. While tracking issues 
from one Committee to the next is not always possible, some issues raised in Committee meetings 
                                                
2 A more detailed description of the HS classification can be found here: http://www.foreign -
trade.com/reference/hscode.htm . 
3105224
824 28
10193
21
2 566
1728
4 432158
3
050100150200250G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 5 - 
 
  are obviously issues th at have been raised previously. These issues may be repeated because 
responses had not been provided when the issue was initially raised, or they may be old issues 
that are the subject of new questions. Chart 6 illustrates the number of new and repeated is sues 
raised in Committee meet ings each year from 1995 to 2017 . 
Chart 6 – New and repeated issues, Article 18.6 Review , 1995 - 2017  
 
 
2  QUESTIONS RAISED IN 2017  
2.1.  Members rai sed a total of 123  questions in 2017 . Some of these questions related to new 
issues, others were questions on issues that had been pr eviously raised  (See Annex 1). 30 fell 
within the Domestic Support pillar, 45 questions were assigned to the Market Access pillar, 47 to 
the Ex port Competition pillar . Two question s were included  in the graph  out of which one pertained 
both to Domestic Supp ort and Export Competition and the other was classified as both Domestic 
Support and Market Access. In 2017,  the proportion of questions that focused on export 
competition was greater than over the full time -period  (27% in 1995 -2017) . Three questions were 
classified as 'Other' ; specifically  issues relating to Turkey's IPR programme, Australia's wine 
equalization tax and India's buffer stock of pulses.  
G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 6 - 
 
  Chart 7 – Questions by pillar, 2017  
 
 
2.2.  The maj ority of questions asked in 2017  came from developed countries (See chart 8). Seven 
developin g country Members raised 11 questions  which illustrates  a decline in the number o f 
questions posed by developing countries compared to the previous year  (24 questions) . On the 
other hand, developing cou ntry Members were the subject of 39% of the questions raised under 
Article 18.6. Least -developed country Members did not raise questions in 2017  and received one 
question .  
Chart 8 –Participation  by Members , 2017  
 
 
Domestic Support  
24%  
Market Access  
36%  
Export 
Competition  
38%  
Other  
2% 
112 
74 
11 48 
0 1 
020406080100120
Question ResponseDeveloped Developing LDCG/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 7 - 
 
  Chart 9 – Questions by product group , 2017  
 
 
2.3.  In line with the trend seen in the 1995 -2017 period, the m ajority of questions in 2017 
concern ed policies targeting  dairy and ceral products. However, compared to previous years, there 
was an increased focus in policies targeting beverages and spirits.  
2.4.  Certain issues were raised in 2017 that have been flagged by Members in previous  
Committee meetings. As refered in Annex 1, these issues include Canada' s New Milk Ingredient 
Class (38  questions in 7 Committee meetings), India's suger export subsidies (24  questions in 
14 Committee meetings), Brazil's domestic support programmes ( 19 questions in 19 Committee 
meetings) an d Canada's wine sale policy (17  questions in 7 Committee meetings).  
 
_______________  
 
1 256
2 221
612
213
0102030405060 
  G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 8 - ANNEX 1  
ARTICLE 18.6 - REVIEW IN 2017  
Issue  Question by  Number of 
questions  AG-IMS ID numbers1 
Canada's New Milk Ingredient Class  Australia, India, New Zealand, 
United States  38 85002, 85003, 85004, 85005, 85006, 85008, 85011, 
85051, 85052, 85053, 85054, 85055, 85056, 84012, 
84018, 84020, 84021, 84022, 84023, 84025, 84027, 
84029, 84030, 84035, 84111, 84107, 84031, 83054, 
83039, 82012, 82059, 82013, 82001, 81001, 81009, 
81049, 81054, 81055, 81056, 80003, 80005, 80006, 
80025, 79035  
India's sugar export subsidies  Australia, Brazil, Colombia, 
European Union, Thailand  24 83105, 82024, 81025, 81062, 80011, 80037, 79023, 
79047, 78016, 78017, 77035, 77044, 76016, 76025, 
76050, 75028, 74007, 74055, 73036, 73055, 73067, 
73068, 52005, 51001, 50003  
Brazil's domestic support programmes  United States of America, 
Ukraine  19 85049, 84073, 83038, 81008, 80024, 79001, 78002, 
77066, 76039, 75023, 74021, 73026, 72051, 71028, 
70007, 69027, 68007, 66002, 65011  
Canada's wine sale policy  Australia, European Union, 
New Zealand,  
United States of America  17 85012, 85057, 84017, 84106, 84033, 84112, 84105, 
83007, 83041, 83104, 83135, 82057, 82002, 81003, 
81011, 81024, 81046, 81047, 81097, 80008, 80009, 
80094, 80095, 79003  
Canada's tariff -rate quota for cheese, and domestic support  New Zealand, Norway, 
Switzerland,  
United States of America  9 85009, 84110, 84108, 83003, 83004, 83005, 81004, 
81051, 81052, 80001, 80002, 80007, 77037, 77001, 
76023, 75026  
India's wheat stocks and exports  Australia, Canada,  
United States of America  9 84072, 84041, 83042, 72061, 72008, 73039, 73003, 
74048, 74001  
                                                
1 For details of the question(s) please visit the AG IMS ( http://agims.wto.org/ ), select the function "Search Q&A Submitted Since 1995 " and input the ID number 
of the question(s) concerned.   
  G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 9 - Issue  Question by  Number of 
questions  AG-IMS ID numbers1 
Thailand's import permits for feed wheat  Australia, European Union, 
United States  of America  6 85039, 84074, 84059, 83107, 83045, 83013  
India's importation of apples  Chile, European Union, 
New Zealand,  
United States of America  6 83056, 82060, 81006, 80014, 79067, 78084, 78085, 
78086, 78088  
Switzerland's export subsidy budget  Australia, New Zealand  5 83057, 77006, 77030, 78023, 78025  
Philippines' rice waiver  Australia, Thailand, 
United  States of America  4 85071, 84057, 84015, 84079  
U.S. Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO)  Canada  4 84064, 84056, 84055, 83124  
U.S. regulations on fluid ultrafiltered  milk Canada  3 84061, 84062, 84063  
Zambia's public stocks and exports of maize  European Union  3 83014, 82030, 8103 3 
Turkey's subsidies aimed at incentivising the use of 
domestic dairy  New Zealand  3 83058, 82067, 81065  
Thailand's rice policies  United States of America  3 84103, 83046, 79005  
India's pulses policies  Canada  2 85064, 84044  
India's support price for Rabi crops  European Union,  
United States of America  2 84071, 83009  
Canada's Market price support for dairy products  New Zealand  2 83001, 82058  
India's minimum support price for Kharif crops  Canada,  
United States of America  2 83043, 83123, 82005  
Brazil's tax credit programmes (Reintegra programme)  European Union  2 85035, 75002  
Argentina's Reintegros programme  European Union  1 85034  
Canada's new programmes on dairy sector  New Zealand  1 85010  
European Union intervention stocks of skim milk power  Canada  1 85059   
  G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 10 - Issue  Question by  Number of 
questions  AG-IMS ID numbers1 
India's quantitative restrictions  Australia  1 85060  
Indonesia's new regulation on milk  United States of America  1 85013  
Pakistan's sugar policies  Brazil  1 85069  
Russian Federation's railway subsidy for exports  European Union  1 85036  
U.S. dairy policies  Canada  1 85079  
Canada's butter export subsidies  Australia  1 84016  
China's sugar imports  Australia  1 84036  
European Union's export subsidy commitments  Guatemala  1 84109  
European Union's sugar policies  Australia  1 84037  
Indonesia's dairy import system  United States of America  1 84075  
Malaysia’s import licensing procedures for sugar  Australia  1 84046  
Mexico's agricultural diesel programme  Ukraine  1 84050  
The Russian Federation's decoupled support  United States of America  1 84083  
Switzerland's domestic purchase requirements for meat 
TRQs United States of America  1 84104  
Switzerland's reclassification of customs position for 
seasoned meat  European Union  1 84058  
Turkey's National Agriculture Model  European Union  1 84060  
U.S. Border Adjustment Tax proposal  Ukraine  1 84054  
Turkey's IPR programme  Russian Federation  1 84113  
Australia's wine equalization tax  European Union  1 83006   
  G/AG/GEN/138/Rev.1  
 
- 11 - Issue  Question by  Number of 
questions  AG-IMS ID numbers1 
Canada's Agri -Marketing Program  Indonesia  1 83067  
Egypt's new regulations  Indonesia  1 83068  
United Kingdom - Modification of agricultural schedule of 
commitments  Indonesia  1 83069  
European Union's support for livestock sector  New Zealand  1 83055  
India's minimum support price for wheat  Australia  1 83106  
India - minimum price for sugar cane in Uttar Pradesh  European Union  1 83010  
India's trade statistics  United States of America  1 83044  
India's buffer stocks of pulses  Canada  1 83122  
Indonesia's draft regulation on supply and distribution of 
milk products  European Union  1 83011  
Japan's mark -up on imported rice  China  1 83035  
Russia's higher applied tariffs than bound rates  European Union  1 83012  
Thailand's financial assistance to fruit farmers  United States of America  1 83047  
 
 
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