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Trade Policy Reform Through Litigation La voie judiciaire pour réformer les politiques commerciales Reform der Handelspolitik durch Rechtsstreitigkeiten

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  • Joseph A. McMahon

Abstract

Trade Policy Reform Through Litigation The uncertain nature of the Doha negotiations gives rise to the possibility that Members may seek to achieve reforms through litigation rather than negotiations. This article examines two areas of the Common Agricultural Policy that may be the subject of litigation. The first of these areas is the Single Farm Payment (SFP). It is suggested that the SFP may not be fully consistent with the provisions of Annex 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture (the Green Box). Although the Appellate Body decision in US ‐ Upland Cotton addressed some of the questions on the interpretation of paragraph 6 of Annex 2, it chose not to address the fundamental requirement for all Green Box policies contained in the introductory paragraph. The second area is export subsidies for processed agricultural products and here the issue is the continuing relevance of Article XVI: 4 of the GATT Whilst a dispute may be the best way forward to determine this particular issue, it is not the best way forward with respect to the Green Box. As this Box is likely to become the primary repository of agricultural support measures, negotiation not litigation offers the best way forward. Les incertitudes liées aux négociations de Doha conduisent à penser que certains membres de l'OMC pourraient essayer d'obtenir satisfaction par la voie judiciaire plutôt que par les négociations. Cet article examine deux domaines de la politique agricole commune qui pourraient faire l'objet d'une telle approche. Le premier est le droit à paiement unique (DPU). Il se pourrait que les DPU ne soient pas complètement en conformité avec les dispositions de l'annexe 2 de l'accord agricole (qui défi nit la boite verte). Même si dans le cas du coton américain, l'organe de règlement des différents a pu donner son interprétation du paragraphe 6 de l'annexe 2, il s'est refuséà examiner l'exigence fondamentale pour toutes les politiques classées dans la boite verte, telle qu'elle est contenue dans le paragraphe introductif Le second domaine concerne les subventions à l'exportation pour les produits agricoles transformés. Ici, le problème est celui de la pertinence de l'article 16‐4 du GATT. Cependant, si la voie judiciaire peut être la meilleure solution dans ce cas particulier, elle n'est sans doute pas la meilleure façon de régler le problème de la boite verte, qui tend à devenir le dépositaire de toutes les mesures de soutien à l'agriculture. Dans ce cas, la négociation est sans doute une meilleure option que la voie judiciaire. Der unsichere Charakter der Doha‐Verhandlungen eröffnet den Mitgliedern die Möglichkeit, Reformen nicht mit Hilfe von Verhandlungen, sondern mittels Gerichtsverfahren durchzusetzen. In diesem Beitrag werden zwei Bereiche der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik untersucht, die zum Zankapfel werden könnten. Beim ersten dieser Bereiche handelt es sich um die Einheitliche Betriebsprämie (Single Far Payment, SFP). Es wird darauf hingewiesen, dass die Einheitliche Betriebsprämie womöglich nicht vollkommen konform geht mit den Bestimmungen in Anhang II des Abkommens über Landwirtschaft (Agreement on Agriculture, AoA) (Green Box). Obwohl die Entscheidung der Rechtsmittelinstanz der WTO (Appellate Body) bezüglich der US‐Subventionen für Upland‐Baumwolle einige Fragen zur Interpretation von Paragraf 6 in Anhang II behandelt hat, kam die grundlegende Voraussetzung aus der Einleitung zur Einordnung von Politikmaßnahmen in die Green Box nicht zur Sprache. Bei dem zweiten Bereich handelt es sich um Exportsubventionen für verarbeitete landwirtschaftliche Erzeugnisse, und die Frage hier lautet, ob Artikel XVI:4 GATT immer noch Bedeutung zukommt. Ein Rechtsstreit kann diese Frage wohl am besten klären, ist jedoch im Hinblick auf die Weiterentwicklung der Green Box nicht empfehlenswert. Da wahrscheinlich die meisten Politikmaßnahmen zur Agrarstützung in die Green Box fallen werden, sind Verhandlungen Gerichtsverfahren vorzuziehen.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph A. McMahon, 2007. "Trade Policy Reform Through Litigation La voie judiciaire pour réformer les politiques commerciales Reform der Handelspolitik durch Rechtsstreitigkeiten," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 6(2), pages 42-47, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:eurcho:v:6:y:2007:i:2:p:42-47
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1746-692X.2007.00063.x
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    1. Swinbank, Alan & Tranter, Richard B., 2005. "Decoupling EU Farm Support: Does the New Single Payment Scheme Fit within the Green Box?," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 6(1), pages 1-15.
    2. Richard H. Steinberg & Timothy E. Josling, 2003. "When the Peace Ends: The Vulnerability of EC and US Agricultural Subsidies to WTO Legal Challenge," Journal of International Economic Law, Oxford University Press, vol. 6(2), pages 369-417, June.
    3. Swinbank, Alan, 2006. "The EU’s Export Refunds on Processed Foods: Legitimate in the WTO?," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 7(2), pages 1-16.
    4. Benitah, Marc, 2005. "U.S. Agricultural Export Credits after the WTO Cotton Ruling: The Law of Unintended Consequences," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 6(2), pages 1-8.
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