233. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Trade Policy Committee (Dent) to the Trade Policy Committee1
Washington, May 12, 1975.
SUBJECT
- Agricultural Organization in the MTN
The Trade Policy Committee met on April 11, 1975 to discuss two difficult
problems that had been preventing progress on agricultural issues in Geneva
and had prevented work on grains from going forward in London.2 I am
pleased to report to you that on May 8, the MTN Agriculture Group adopted a decision in this area, that
allows these negotiations to move forward, consistent with our
objectives.3
The text was worked out through weeks of effort by Secretary Butz and myself, and members of our staffs,
and representatives of other countries and the European Economic Community.
It is a compromise that depends on further goodwill for its implementation.
Its significance is that it does recognize that the Tariff and Non-Tariff
Measures Groups have the competence to evolve general rules which can govern
industrial and agricultural products alike. This will strengthen our hand in
keeping agriculture from being isolated.
Furthermore, the text recognizes that the agricultural aspects of general
rules, when they are dealt with by the Agriculture Group will be undertaken
in conjunction with the work of Tariffs and Non-Tariffs Measures Groups.
This folding back in of the work on the agriculture side is in direct
furtherance of the negotiating objectives contained in Section 103 of the
Trade Act.
A copy of the text is attached.
[Page 801]
Attachment
May 8, 1975 Text of Summing-Up by the Chairman of the
Agriculture Group
1. The Group met from 24 to 27 March, from 15 to 17 April and 8 May 1975
and took the following decisions. The Group agreed that the Group should
be chaired by the Secretariat. It invited the Secretary General of
UNCTAD or his representative to
attend this session of the Group as an observer.
2. The Group agreed that it would treat Tariff and Non-Tariff Measures
relating to agricultural products. It was noted that matters of a global
nature including Tariff and Non-Tariff Measures affecting agriculture
would be taken up in a number of contexts within the overall framework
of these negotiations. In such cases, the Group and its Subgroups will
concern themselves with the agricultural aspects of these matters and
will treat them in conjunction with the work of the Tariffs and
Non-Tariffs Measures Groups and the results of this work will be
communicated to other Groups concerned with a view to arriving at the
harmonious and balanced development of all the elements subject to
negotiation in furtherance of Paragraph Number 8 of the Tokyo
Declaration.
3. There have been discussions of whether it was necessary to create
Sub-groups on some tariffs or non-tariff measures and the Group has
agreed to come back later to this question.
4. The Group agreed that some agricultural products which represented a
large share in world trade and were widely traded might lend themselves
to multilateral solutions. With this in view it agreed to address itself
initially to grains, dairy products and meat. It was understood that
other products might be added at a later stage.
5. The Group agreed to establish negotiating Sub-groups, dealing with all
the elements relevant to trade in these products, for the following
sectors:
- (a)
-
Grains. It was understood that
governments participating in the Multilateral Trade Negotiations
which were also participating in the work recently started in
the framework of the International Wheat Council would continue
actively to pursue that work also. At the appropriate time, the
Sub-group shall consider how best to integrate into its work any
results of the work at present going on in the International
Wheat Council.
- (b)
-
Dairy products.
- (c)
-
Meat (including live animals).
6. The Group agreed the above Sub-groups would themselves organize their
work.
[Page 802]
7. The Group emphasized the importance of the application of differential
measures to developing countries in ways which will provide special and
more favorable treatment for them, especially in the agricultural
negotiations, in accordance with the principles and objectives embodied
in the Tokyo Declaration.
8. The Group agreed that the Sub-groups below should hold their first
meeting on:
| —Sub-group on grains |
May 26 |
| —Sub-group on meat |
June 16 |
| —Sub-group on dairy products |
June 23 |
