. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/AG/GEN/25 
23 March 2007 
 (07-1240) 
Committee on Agriculture 
Special Session Original:   English 
 
 
  
 G-10 DECLARATION ON THE STATE OF THE DDA/AGRICULTURE 
NEGOTIATIONS 
 
 
 The following communication, received on 23 Marc h 2007, is being circulated at the request 
of the G-10.  
 
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 1. The G-10 reaffirms its commitment to work for a successful conclusion of the Doha 
Development Round.  To reach that end, we urge all Members to move across the board, including the 
three pillars of Agriculture and all other areas of the negotiations, in order to come up with a 
comprehensive and balanced outcome. 
2. Any outcome should be based on the Doha Decl aration, the July 2004 Framework and the 
Hong Kong Declaration.  To step back from thes e agreed texts would increase the chances of failure. 
3. As an important stakeholder in the agriculture  negotiations the G-10 is ready to contribute 
actively and in a constructive manner towa rds equitable solutions to all issues. 
4. The G-10 takes note of the various bilateral a nd plurilateral contacts presently taking place at 
several levels.  The G-10 has also held a numbe r of consultations with different groupings. 
5. Nevertheless, a successful and balanced outco me can only be achieved through a multilateral 
process which involves and takes into consideration the needs and concerns of all Members in an 
inclusive and transparent manner.  We cannot accep t a solution which the G-10 has not been involved 
in. 
6. Our main priorities in market access are as follows: 
(a) G-10 will not accept tariff capping; 
(b) Due consideration should be given to G- 10's inequitably heavy burden in tariff 
reductions, especially in the upper band, r esulting from its specific tariff structures; 
(c) TRQ expansion for sensitive products should be: 
- based on deviation from the formula, not on the level of AVEs; 
- determined under the principle of less than full compensation with no core 
expansion; 
- adjusted in accordance with the degree of import penetration; TN/AG/GEN/25 
Page 2  
 
  (d) Given that tariff structures, sensitivities and non-trade concerns vary across Members, 
the number of sensitive products cannot be arbitrarily set, but must reflect the 
situation of each Member. 
7. Developmental aspects should be a main priority in the DDA negotiations.  The G-10 
supports legitimate needs of developing countries,  especially importing developing countries, for SP 
and SSM. 
8. The G-10 recalls that there is a gradation in th e level of ambition for each pillar.  On export 
subsidies and similar instruments, the ambition is hi ghest:  elimination.  For trade-distorting domestic 
support, we agreed to substantial reduction with a harmonising effect.  This is the second highest level 
of ambition.  The third is market access, where the objective is a substantial improvement.  This 
graduation simply reflects the political realities faced by the Membership as well as the stage 
agriculture has reached in the hist ory of the multilateral trading system.  It would be unrealistic to 
strive for a deal that would ignore this reality. 
9. The G-10 understands that a possible "breakthr ough" should include certain elements in the 
area of Domestic Support.  In this regard, we for esee (i) effective cuts in total AMS and overall trade-
distorting domestic support, and (ii) ad ditional criteria on Blue Box payments. 
10. An equitable solution requires flexibilities from a ll sides.  We have our flexibilities and we 
expect the same from our partners.  This will ensu re comparable "landing zones" for all Members. 
 
21 March 2007  
 
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