WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/AG/NG/W/157
6 April 2001
(01-1748)
Committee on Agriculture
Special SessionOriginal:  English
SEVENTH SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
26-28 MARCH 2001
Statement by the Czech Republic
At the outset, I would like to welcome the opportunity to address this important meeting of
the Committee on Agriculture, the purpose of which is to take stock of where we are in negotiations
for continuing the reform process in agriculture under Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture and
consequently, decide on where we go from here.
In your introductory statement of yesterday, you mentioned that a great deal of progress had
been made since the beginning of negotiations last spring.  We fully concur with this statement.
Indeed, a lot of useful work has been done and negotiations are going well and we would even say
that much better than anyone could have expected a year ago.
We have been particularly struck by the high and unprecedented level of participation on the
part of all WTO members, whether developed, devel oping or transitional, not to forget newly acceded
countries. Forty-four negotiating proposals made by 120 members or thereabouts and very intensive
and quite often also lively debates on them clearly testify to the fact that most Members have showntheir readiness to engage seriously and that they  remain committed to maintaining liberalization of
trade in agriculture.
High quality and wide ranging negotiating proposals also point to the importance and
sensitivity the agricultural sector has for national economies and the role it plays in meeting different
societal objectives which include the sustained development of rural areas, poverty alleviation,
preservation of the environment, food safety and others.
The variety of country situations and specificities is another factor which we would like to
highlight here and that, according to our view, will have to be taken into account at every stage of
future negotiations and properly reflected in disciplines to be agreed.  It is apparent from this variety
that most of the subject matters raised by Members are too complex to be viewed as North-Southissues or as issues between food-exporting and importing countries.
The Czech Republic has already made significant progress towards substantial and even
dramatic reductions in support and protection.  Irrespective of that, we remain committed to
substantial results in all areas of the ongoing negotiations on condition that a proper balance betweentrade and non-trade concerns is going to be preserved.  At the same time, it would be our strong
expectation that, when establishing the new modalities and disciplines, due account shall be taken of
the specific challenges of the countries which have undergone unprecedented transformation of their
agricultural sectors and have low levels of subsidization and protection at the border.
Before concluding, let us add our voice to many of those who have already said that it would
be much easier to make more substantial and balanced progress in the context of a wider round.
Our intervention would not be complete if we do not express our gratitude to you,
Mr. Chairman, for all you have done during your tenure as the Chairman of this Committee and to theSecretariat for its contribution to what, as we understand it, is our collective achievement.
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