RESTRICTED  
  
TN/AG/GEN/42  
10 March  2017 
(17-1403) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Agriculture  
Special Session  Original : Spanish  
 
  WTO AGRICULTURE NEGOTIATIONS  
COMMUNICATION FROM ARGENTINA, PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA,  
BRAZIL, CHILE, ECUADOR, PARAGUAY, PERU AND URUGUAY  
The following communication, dated 9 March  2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
aforementioned Members.  
 
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STATEMENT BY THE VICE -MINISTERS FOR AGRICULTURE ON  
THE WTO AGRICULTURE NEGOTIATIONS  
The Vice -Ministers for Agriculture of Argentina, Bolivia, Bra zil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Per u and 
Uruguay, meeting in the city of Buenos Aires on 6 March 2017, 
 
Whereas : 
 
1.    The 11th Ministerial Conference of the WTO (MC11) will take place in Buenos Aires, 
Argenti na, from 11 to 1 4 December  2017. 
 
2.    This meeting provides a valuable opportunity to  continue taking significant steps in the 
process of reforming the multilateral system for  trade in agricultural products and food , 
eliminating the current ly severe distortions that prevent agro -exporting developing 
countries from achieving their production potential and fully contribut ing to global 
food security . 
 
3.    Protectionist measures include tariff peaks, tariff escalation , small  tariff quotas and 
distorting production subsidies, resulting in situations which in many cases are 
compounded by the proliferation of non -tariff import restrictions in the form of sanitar y, 
phytosanitary and technical measures applied in an unjustified  and arbitrary manner . 
 
4.    Fairer  and more transparent and open international trade is an invaluable tool for 
sustainably increasing food production.  
 
5.    Competitive, efficient and sustainable ag riculture is vital to feeding the world, in a complex 
international environment marked by:  
 
(a) strong  growth  of the urban  middle  class;  
(b) a sustained  increase  in demand  for nutritious  and quality  food; 
(c) food losses  and wastage , which,  according  to international  estimates,  accou nt for 30% 
of total agricultural  production;  
(d) scarcity  of natural  resources,  chiefly  arable  land and water  suitable  for irrigation  and 
human  consumption;  
(e) the impact  of climate  change , which  substantially  modifies  producti on systems  and 
increases  agricultural  risk. TN/AG/G EN/42  
- 2 - 
  6.    Progress in reforming the agri -trading system will significantly contribute  towards the 
targets set out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , and 
especially  SDG2, pursuant to which we under took by 2030 to end hunger and ensure 
access by all people, in particular the most vulnerable, to safe,  nutritious and 
sufficient  food. 
 
7.    The signatory countries have the nat ural conditions, production conditions and skilled 
human resources to make a signi ficant contribution  to the goal of eradicating hunger in 
the world , turning themselves into reliable  suppliers  of safe, nutritious and quality food . 
 
8.    The countries of the region (whether individually or in the form of  negotiating groups) are 
highly active  in the ongoing discussions at the WTO and have submitted several 
communications  in this connection, stating their views and expectations in the framework 
of these negotiations . 
 
9.    Development is central to these negotiations, and special and differential t reatment for the 
developing countries must be fully incorporated in the ongoing work leading up to  the 
Buenos Aires Ministerial Conference.  
 
Undertake to : 
 
10.   Continu e coordinating their efforts  with a view to  secur ing substantive positive outcomes 
in the pro cess of reforming the rules of international trade in agricultural products and 
food at the 11 th WTO Ministerial Conference , scheduled to take place  in Buenos  Aires from 
11 to 1 4 December  2017. 
 
11.   Emphasize the importance of focusing the discussions primaril y on trade - and 
production -distorting domestic support and on securing improvements in current market 
access conditions.  
 
12.   Work jointly in search of  a permanent solution to the issue of public stockholding for food 
security purposes , ensuring that it does not distort international trade or production.  
 
13.   Underscore the importance of taking further significant steps to prohibit certain forms of 
fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate 
subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, in accordance with  
SDG Goal 14.6.  
 
14.   Coordinate their efforts to avoid the adoption and application of arbitrary or unjustified 
restrictions on international trade in the form of sanitary or phytosanitary measures or 
technical regulations established in a manner inconsistent with the WTO rules.  
 
15.   Strengthen existing  links between our countries in order to continue putting forward  joint 
communications  in the context of the WTO negotiations  which reflect our demands in the 
agricultural reform process.  
 
16.   Urge WTO Members to move forward in these negotiations in a respons ible and flexible 
manner so as to secure substantive outcomes at MC11.  
 
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