2021 part4

41/ WTO concludes first phase of advanced workshop on agriculture notifications

22 OCTOBER 2021

Thirty-one government officials participated in the first phase of an advanced workshop on agriculture notifications on 20-22 October, held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two-phase workshop is aimed at helping officials from developing countries gain a better understanding of how to make notifications about agricultural measures through the Agriculture Information Management System (AG-IMS). The second phase of the workshop is tentatively scheduled for 2022

The workshop was organized by the Agriculture and Commodities Division in collaboration with the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation. It is aimed at officials responsible for agriculture notifications to the WTO — including notifications on domestic support, market access and export subsidies — at the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Agreement on Agriculture has 12 notification requirements but members’ compliance rate remains low — close to 2,000 notifications are currently outstanding. The Committee on Agriculture has called on members to improve transparency and bring their notifications up to date. The aim of the workshop is to provide much-needed help for those who have requested technical assistance on notifications.

The first phase of the workshop focused on how to make notifications on agricultural subsidies by WTO members, an essential transparency commitment under the Agreement on Agriculture. It also highlighted the specific transparency requirements stipulated by the Nairobi Decision on Export Competition. Following the expiry of the five year-grace period for developing country members, these requirements are now applicable to all WTO members.

The workshop combined presentations, questions and answers sessions, and case studies in break-out groups to provide hands-on experience and to stimulate discussions among participants. Participants were also able to simulate the preparation and submission of notifications using the AG IMS system.

Participants showed a high level of engagement and appreciated the hands-on experience they gained during the workshop.

The second phase of the workshop will focus on notification requirements in other areas and the review process of the Committee on Agriculture.

Since 2009, the WTO Secretariat has organized multiple Advanced Agriculture Notification Workshops, providing training to officials from more than 130 countries. The training programme also includes individual sessions with Secretariat staff to discuss country-specific notification issues at the request of members.

Source: wto.org