Publication: Agricultural Trade Liberalization in a New Trade Round : Perspectives of Developing Countries and Transition Economies
Date
2001-09
ISSN
Published
2001-09
Author(s)
Ingco, Merlinda
Winters, L. Alan
Abstract
This discussion paper contains seven
studies, designed to a) review, and assess the impact of the
implementation of the Uruguay Round (UR) Agreement on
Agriculture, and, b) to analyze the key issues, interests,
and options for developing countries in the new World Trade
Organization's (WTO) round of multilateral trade
negotiations in agriculture. Six regional case studies are
presented: Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Latin America,
Eastern Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and industrial
countries. A quantitative analysis of the dynamics of
multilateral liberalization in food, and agricultural trade
is also presented. Among some of the key conclusions, it is
suggested that much preparatory work was achieved in
bringing agriculture fully into the multilateral trading
system during the UR, and, a significant achievement was the
development of a broad framework for reductions in
trade-distorting policies. The UR was also successful in
negotiating reduced volumes of subsidized exports, and in
providing at least, minimum levels of access to markets.
There were, however, a number of limitations in both what
was agreed to, and in how the Agreement in Agriculture has
actually been implemented, as the analyses show that the
work achieved during the UR, will be of limited value,
unless market distortions in agriculture can be reduced
substantially. If liberal agricultural trade is to succeed,
its limitations should be addressed, and policy induced
distortions to agricultural production, be substantially reduced.
Citation
“Ingco, Merlinda; Winters, L. Alan. 2001. Agricultural Trade Liberalization in a New Trade Round : Perspectives of Developing Countries and Transition Economies. World Bank Discussion Paper;No. 418. © Washington, DC: World Bank. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/cc35ad15-a791-5cac-8a8d-52bfa4b08115 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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