IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/canjag/v57y2009i1p1-21.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

WTO Constraints on Domestic Support in Agriculture: Past and Future

Author

Listed:
  • Lars Brink

Abstract

The domestic support provisions in the WTO Agreement on Agriculture originate in the 1958 Haberler Report. Economic analysis often overlooks the agreement's legally important distinctions. Few domestic support issues lead to dispute settlement proceedings. The Doha negotiations would result in more constraints on domestic support than the sole commitment on Total Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) in the present agreement: ceilings on overall trade‐distorting support and blue box payments, and also product‐specific caps. Some 18 members would reduce their Total AMS commitments, and 25 would reduce the de minimis percentages. Most members would not reduce their constraints at all or only little. If today's developing countries continue to grow as they did in recent decades, their capacity to support agriculture increases significantly. If they then choose to support agriculture as today's developed countries did at the same stage of economic development, the future WTO constraints on trade‐distorting domestic support would allow them to provide considerably more such support than developed countries. Les règles sur le soutien interne de l'Accord sur l'agriculture de l'OMC tirent son origine du rapport ≪Haberler≫ de 1958. L'analyse économique oublie souvent les distinctions d'importance juridique de l'accord. Peu de questions en soutien interne entraînent des procédures de règlement des différends. Les négociations de Doha se solderaient par plus de contraintes sur le soutien que le seul engagement de l'accord actuel, celui sur la mesure globale de soutien (MGS) totale. Ces contraintes comprennent des plafonds sur le soutien interne global ayant des effets de distorsion des échanges et sur les paiements dans la boîte bleue, ainsi que des plafonds par produit. Environ 18 membres réduiraient leurs engagements sur la MGS totale, et 25 membres réduiraient les pourcentages de minimis. La plupart des membres ne réduiraient pas leurs engagements ou les réduiraient seulement un peu. Si la croissance économique des pays, qui aujourd'hui sont en voie de développement, continue au même taux que dans les décennies récentes, leur capacité de soutenir leur agriculture augmente. S'ils choisissaient dans l'avenir de soutenir leur agriculture, comme l'ont fait les pays qui sont aujourd'hui les pays développés lorsqu'ils se trouvaient au même stage de développement, les contraintes futures de l'OMC sur le soutien interne faussant les échanges permettraient aux pays en voie de développement d'accorder de tel soutien dans des montants considérablement plus importants que ceux des pays développés.

Suggested Citation

  • Lars Brink, 2009. "WTO Constraints on Domestic Support in Agriculture: Past and Future," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 57(1), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:canjag:v:57:y:2009:i:1:p:1-21
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7976.2008.01135.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7976.2008.01135.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1744-7976.2008.01135.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brink, Lars, 2007. "Classifying, Measuring and Analyzing WTO Domestic Support in Agriculture: Some Conceptual Distinctions," Working Papers 14581, International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium.
    2. Kym Anderson, 2009. "Distorted Agricultural Incentives and Economic Development: Asia's Experience," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(3), pages 351-384, March.
    3. Anonymous, 1958. "General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(3), pages 417-418, July.
    4. Wilfrid Legg, 2003. "Presidential Address Agricultural Subsidies: Measurement and Use in Policy Evaluation," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 175-201, July.
    5. Brink, Lars, 2005. "WTO Constraints on U.S. and EU Domestic Support in Agriculture: Assessing the October 2005 Proposals," Working Papers 14601, International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium.
    6. World Bank, 2008. "World Development Indicators 2008," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 28241.
    7. World Bank, 2008. "World Development Indicators 2008," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 11855.
    8. Brink, Lars, 2001. "Establishing Domestic Support Commitments Through A Harmonization Formula," Working Papers 14613, International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium.
    9. Anonymous, 1958. "General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 261-263, April.
    10. World Bank, 2007. "World Development Indicators 2007," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 8150.
    11. James Rude, 2008. "Production Effects of the European Union's Single Farm Payment," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 56(4), pages 457-471, December.
    12. Kym Anderson, 2006. "Reducing Distortions to Agricultural Incentives: Progress, Pitfalls, and Prospects," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 88(5), pages 1135-1146.
    13. Brink, Lars, 2006. "WTO Constraints on U.S. and EU Domestic Support in Agriculture: The October 2005 Proposals," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 7(01), pages 1-20.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jim Hansen & Francis Tuan & Linxiu Zhang & Agapi Somwaru, 2011. "Do China's agricultural policies matter for world commodity markets?," China Agricultural Economic Review, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 3(1), pages 6-25, January.
    2. Wusheng Yu & Hans G. Jensen, 2010. "China’s Agricultural Policy Transition: Impacts of Recent Reforms and Future Scenarios," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(2), pages 343-368, June.
    3. Díaz-Bonilla, Eugenio, 2017. "Food security stocks: Economic and operational issues," IFPRI book chapters, in: Bouët, Antoine; Laborde Debucquet, David (ed.), Agriculture, development, and the global trading system: 2000– 2015, chapter 8, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Díaz-Bonilla, Eugenio, 2014. "On food security stocks, peace clauses, and permanent solutions after Bali," IFPRI discussion papers 1388, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Beckman, Jayson & Dyck, John & Heerman, Kari, 2017. "The Global Landscape of Agricultural Trade, 1995-2014," Economic Information Bulletin 265270, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    6. Díaz-Bonilla, Eugenio, 2015. "Lost in translation: The fractured conversation about trade and food security," IFPRI discussion papers 1490, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    7. H. Bruce Huff, 2010. "Making Doha More Developmentally Friendly for Agriculture," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 58(1), pages 23-35, March.
    8. Orden, David, 2013. "The Changing Structure of Domestic Support and Its Implications for Trade," Commissioned Papers 146657, Canadian Agricultural Trade Policy Research Network.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. James, Jennifer S. & Pardey, Philip G. & Alston, Julian M., 2008. "Agricultural R&D Policy: A Tragedy of the International Commons," Staff Papers 43094, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    2. Bryan K. Ritchie, 2010. "Systemic Vulnerability and Sustainable Economic Growth," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13731, March.
    3. Alberto Chilosi, 2010. "Poverty, Population, Inequality, and Development: the Historical Perspective," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 7(2), pages 469-501, December.
    4. Gratwick, Katharine Nawaal & Eberhard, Anton, 2008. "Demise of the standard model for power sector reform and the emergence of hybrid power markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 3948-3960, October.
    5. Angus Deaton & Alan Heston, 2010. "Understanding PPPs and PPP-Based National Accounts," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(4), pages 1-35, October.
    6. Chong-Min Park, 2009. "The Quality of Life in South Korea," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 92(2), pages 263-294, June.
    7. Niklas Potrafke, 2012. "Political cycles and economic performance in OECD countries: empirical evidence from 1951–2006," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 155-179, January.
    8. O'Connor, Dermot, 2009. "The Political Economy of Colombia's Cocaine Industry," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 14(1), pages 81-106.
    9. Christian Bjørnskov & Niklas Potrafke, 2012. "Political Ideology and Economic Freedom Across Canadian Provinces," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 38(2), pages 143-166.
    10. Rozalia NISTOR & Costel NISTOR & Mihaela-Carmen MUNTEAN, 2010. "The Relationship between the Current World Crisis and Global Imbalances," Economics and Applied Informatics, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 2, pages 155-166.
    11. ., 2010. "The Korean Economy: Transition to a Knowledge-based Economy," Chapters, in: The Korean Economy in Transition, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. repec:lic:licosd:23309 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Fagerberg, Jan & Srholec, Martin & Verspagen, Bart, 2010. "Innovation and Economic Development," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 833-872, Elsevier.
    14. Anderson, Kym & Martin, Will & van der Mensbrugghe, Dominique, 2013. "Estimating Effects of Price-Distorting Policies Using Alternative Distortions Databases," Handbook of Computable General Equilibrium Modeling, in: Peter B. Dixon & Dale Jorgenson (ed.), Handbook of Computable General Equilibrium Modeling, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 877-931, Elsevier.
    15. Muhammad Iqbal & Rashid Amjad, 2012. "Food Security in South Asia: Strategies and Programmes for Regional Collaboration," Chapters, in: Sultan Hafeez Rahman & Sridhar Khatri & Hans-Peter Brunner (ed.), Regional Integration and Economic Development in South Asia, chapter 8, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    16. Sisira Jayasuriya & Nephil Matangi Maskay, 2010. "Enhancing Economic Integration In South Asia: Issues And Prospects For Closer Monetary Cooperation," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 55(01), pages 185-206.
    17. Sonali Bhattacharya, 2010. "Knowledge Economy in India: Challenges and Opportunities," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 9(03), pages 203-225.
    18. Pamuk, H., 2014. "Innovation systems, saving, trust, and economic development in Africa," Other publications TiSEM c759f3ee-97a6-4689-a0d7-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    19. Mohammed Yelwa & S.A.J. Obansa Awe & Emmanuel Omonoyi, 2015. "Informality, Inclusiveness and Economic Growth in Nigeria," International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 1(10), pages 33-44, September.
    20. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2009. "Country Role Models for Development Success: The Ghana Case," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2009-42, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    21. Niklas Potrafke, 2011. "Does government ideology influence budget composition? Empirical evidence from OECD countries," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 101-134, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:canjag:v:57:y:2009:i:1:p:1-21. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/caefmea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.