Background to WTOSPS Agreement and the Enquiry Point

1
Background to WTO/SPS Agreement and the Enquiry
Point

• By
• Lilory McComie (PhD)
• Research Division
• Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine
  Resources
• Central Experiment Station
• Centeno,
• Via Arima P.O.
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Phone[phone]
• Fax[phone]
• e-mail lilory_at_tstt.net.tt

2
Establishment of GATT(General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade)

• Periodic 'Rounds' of trade negotiations were
  primary mechanism for progress on trade
  liberalization (reduction of tariffs)
• Several rounds of trade negotiations (8 so far)
• GATT established in Geneva in 1947 in 1st round
  of of multilateral trade negotiations

3
Administration of GATT

• GATT operated without a Governing Body to oversee
  international trade and enforce a framework of
  rules
• GATT administered by the Interim Committee of the
  International Trade Organization (ICITO) until
  1994

4
Role and function of GATT

• To regulate international trade and stimulate
  international commerce
• To liberalize trade and reduce tariffs as the
  main form of trade protection
• Provided certain exceptions and waivers
• e.g. Agricultural trade given special treatment

5
GATT and Agricultural Trade

• Agricultural trade excluded from GATT early in
  the Agreement's life
• WHY?
• Agricultural sector unique
• Could not be treated as other sectors for reasons
  of national food security
• Trade in Agriculture afforded 'special treatment'

6
GATT and Agricultural Trade(Pre - 1986)

• Agricultural Trade effectively exempted from
  important GATT rules e.g.
• Quantitative import restrictions allowed with
  special provisions
• Export subsidies allowed
• Limited relevance of GATT to agriculture
• High levels of protection and support for
  agriculture

7
GATT and Agricultural Trade

• Increasing frequency of trade disputes over
  agriculture arose
• Depression in world price of certain food
  commodities also occurred
• Instability in global markets also arose
• In 1986 Agricultural trade placed firmly on the
  (GATT) negotiating table at opening of the
  Uruguay Round

8
Uruguay Round and Agriculture

• Objectives
• Greater liberalization of agricultural trade
• Application of GATT rules and regulations to
  facilitate import access and export competition
  in agricultural trade

9
Establishment of WTO

• WTO formed in 1994 through final Act of Uruguay
  Round of multinational trade negotiations
• WTO is Institutional framework to implement to
  final agreements of Uruguay Round
• WTO replaced GATT

10
Administration and Membership of WTO

• WTO headed by a Ministerial Conference which
  meets every two years
• General Council oversees operations and
  implements ministerial decisions
• 116 member countries
• 37 observer countries
• Caribbean member countries - Trinidad and Tobago,
  Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize Dominica,
  St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada,
  Jamaica, St Kitts Nevis

11
Role and function of WTO

• Consolidates the agreements of GATT (1947) and
  Uruguay Round (1986)
• Provides a common institutional framework for the
  conduct of trade relations among member countries
• Settles trade disputes
• Provides a trade review mechanism
• Established subsidiary bodies to oversee trade in
  Goods, Services, Intellectual Property Rights etc.

12
Trade in Goods under WTO

• Several agreements on trade in goods including
• Agriculture
• Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
• Textiles and clothing
• Technical Barriers to Trade
• Antidumping
• Import Licensing
• Several others