National agricultural Policy Center (NAPC)

1

• National agricultural Policy Center (NAPC)
• The Operation of Trade and Trade Policy Division
  (TPD)
• By Isam Ismail
• TPD's Coordinator
• Damascus, May 11, 2005

2

• Mission
• Research on the integration of Syrian agriculture
  in the world economy
• Bilateral and regional agreements (EU, individual
  Arab countries)
• WTO Accession.
• Trade policies analysis (International and
  Domestic).
• Proposed approach
• Skill building (learning-by-doing).
• Focus on the production on new knowledge on the
  effects and policy options related to trade
  reforms in Syria
• Links with other NAPC Divisions
• Target public (policy makers, private sector,
  academics).

3
2005 Workplan

• Objectives
• Enhance skills and capacities of the NAPC's
  staff.
• Establish links with the international research
  community.
• Support to the Syrian general debate on trade
  reforms.
• Support the GoS in the technical aspects of
  international trade negotiations.

4

• Activities
• Skill development activities
• Review Papers (RP)
• Evaluating Information Sources
• Research and institutional activities
• Periodical Report (SAT 2005 including SI)
• Policy Support Activities (TPB, CMB, WTO)
• Publication of paper on GAFTA
• Seminars (Internal seminar and AP forum)

5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
Division Staff/Topics

• Mahmoud Babbili
• Multilateral trade negotiations and Agricultural
  policies in the developed economies
• Yasser Al Essa
• Free trade agreements and regional agreements
• Isam Ismail
• Trade policy options for developing countries and
  in the Syrian Arab Republic
• Hajar Baghasa
• Non-tariff barriers
• Basheer Al Hamwi
• Public regulations on export marketing

8
Performed Activities

• SAT 2004.
• Start working on SAT 2005 with SI Syrian-EU
  Association agreement.
• Review Papers (RP).
• Policy Briefs (PB).

9
Special Issue/Syrian-EU Association Agreement

• Introduction
•  1 Other Countries Experience
•  2 Syria and Barcelona Process
• 2.1.     EU-Syria co-operation
• 2.2.     Negotiations for an Association
  Agreement
• 3 EU-Syria Trade Relation
• 3.1.     Agricultural Exports
• 3.2.     Agricultural Imports
• 4 The Syrian-EU Association Agreement
• 4.1.     General provisions
• 4.2.     Provisions affecting the
  agricultural sector
• 4.3.     Agricultural provisions in detail
• 5 Expected impacts
• 6 Policy recommendations

10
Review Paper (RP)

• Mahmoud Babbili Negotiations' Position of the
  Main trading partners and their Rationale
• Isam Ismail The Impacts of Agricultural Trade
  Liberalization on Development (Lessons for Syria)
• Hajar Baghasa Non-tariff barriers and Syrian
  Government Procedures towards Trade
  Liberalization
• Basheer Hamwi Main Determinant Factors of the
  Export Success
• Yasser Al Essa Is it possible to classify
  countries according to the size and forms of
  agricultural support

11
Policy Briefs

• Exporting in Syria business environment, trade
  reform and promotion activities (Basheer).
• Non-tariff barriers in Great Arab free Trade Area
  (Hajar).
• The WTO negotiations Will developing countries
  benefit from a new agreement? (Mahmoud)
• The Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement Is
  it worth for Syria? (Yasser)
• Trade policy reform in Syria, what has changed?
  (Isam)

12
Remarks

• More Training especially in technical issues
• Internet efficiency
• Members number and rearranging the workplan
• Trade data from (GDC)
• SAT reviewing

13
Thank you for your attention