. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/MIN(05)/19 
15 December 2005 
 (05-6002) 
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE 
Sixth Session Hong Kong, 13 - 18 December 2005 Original:   español 
 
  
TROPICAL PRODUCTS AND SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS FOR ILLICIT CROPS 
 
Communication from the Ministers of Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica,
 
Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru  
   The following communication, dated 14 December 2005, is being circulated at the request of 
the delegations of Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, 
Panama, and Peru. 
 
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  The Governments of Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, 
Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru reaffirm  the urgent need to fulfil the commitment to achieve the fullest 
liberalization of trade in tropical agricultural products  and for products of par ticular importance to the 
diversification of production from the growing of illicit narcotic crops, set forth in paragraph 43 of the 
Framework for Establishing Modalities in  Agriculture, adopted on 1 August 2004. 
 
 The fullest liberalization for these products, processed or unprocessed, implies the elimination 
of tariffs and quantitative restrictions in the devel oped countries.  In other words, it means that there 
must be an express commitment to the effect that tr opical products should not be included in the lists 
of sensitive products of the developed countries.   For our countries, the development dimension must include substantial market access and, 
within that market acces s, the commitment to achieve the full est liberalization for tropical products 
and substitutes for illicit crops.  This component has been reflected in the offensive approach to 
development and special and differential treat ment in market access for agriculture. 
  Flexibility for the developed countries with r espect to sensitive products and the commitment 
to achieve the fullest liberalization for tropical products and substitutes for illicit crops are clearly 
compatible with each other.  Compliance with the mandate set forth in paragraph 43 of the 
Framework for Establishing Modalities in Agricu lture takes precedence over any agreement on 
sensitive products because it favours trade liberalizati on, which is the very objective of the Doha 
Round and the WTO.  Consequently, to suggest that the defensive interests of the developed Members 
take precedence over the offensive interests of the de veloping countries would be contrary to the spirit 
and to the principles of any roun d of multilateral trade negotiations. 
  Nor is there any conflict between the mandate to  achieve the fullest liberalization for tropical 
products and for substitutes for illicit crops and the pr ovisions of paragraph 44 on preference erosion.  
The recognition of the importance of long-standing preferences in the Framework for Establishing 
Modalities in Agriculture cannot be interpreted to  mean that as a result of the Round, those 
preferences would not erode, or that tariff reductions should be less, or that the periods of implementation of market access commitments s hould be longer.  The words "[t]he issue of WT/MIN(05)/19 
Page 2  
 
 preference erosion will be addressed" cannot in any way limit the commitment to achieve the fullest 
liberalization of trade in tropical products and for substitutes for illicit crops.   For the above reasons, the mandate to achieve the fullest liberalization for tropical products 
and for substitute products for illicit crops must be implemented by consolidating the elimination of 
tariff and quantitative restrictions for all produc ts, processed or unprocessed;  ensuring unconditional 
liberalization in accordance with the MFN principle;   and refraining from including them in the lists 
of sensitive products of the developed countries or imposing any other limitation that would stand in 
the way of full compliance.  
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