WTO Symposium Geneva, May 2004 Trade, agriculture, and world poverty: Will the Doha Agenda deliver pro-development trade rules?

Agricultural trade and rural poverty World poverty eradication is about rural development and agricultural policies. The effective fight against rural poverty. Trade, but not only trade: Rural development iniciatives and agricultural policies. Oxfams development programmes and Make Trade Fair campaign.

The organized madness of Northern agricultural policies Northern agricultural policies are not multifunctional US and EU hidden dumping: The cases of cotton and cereals. The impact of Northern policies on developing countries.

Bitter sugar The paradox of the European sugar sector: >The EU is one of the worlds less competitive sugar producers... >... and the second worlds main exporter of sugar. Comparative advantage?: No; high tariffs and overprice. Despite of production quotas, systematic oversupply takes place. In other words: >dumping on world markets through direct and indirect support >market access restrictions >price volatility Big companies and landowners win, developing countries and European small farmers lose.

From the Uruguay Round to the Development Round Theres no possible Development Round in the absence of: >G-146 agreement: in particular committement from developed countries and G-20. >genuine pro-development agricultural policies, through the following proposals:

From the Uruguay Round to the Development Round: Oxfam proposals for Julys framework Put an end to Export unfair Competition: >A prohibition on export subsidies >A prohibition on export credit subsidies >A prohibition on commercial use of food aid

From the Uruguay Round to the Development Round: Oxfam proposals for Julys framework Make Domestic Support legitimate: a redefinition of WTOs support indicators >as a principle, subsidised products should not be exported >allow supply management systems in support to small farmers and to address overproduction

From the Uruguay Round to the Development Round: Oxfam proposals for Julys framework Market Access: ensure developing countries right to agricultural development >Free access for least developed countries and low incomcountries. >Eliminate tariff escalation >Formula which really differentiates between developed and developing countries (not current blended formula) >Basic food security crops in developing countries exempt from reductions in tariffs >Special safeguard mechanism available for all developing countries