Principles of International Law Relevant for Consideration in the Design and Implementation of Trade-Related Climate Measures and Policies. Report of an International Legal Expert Group.

The report offers independent guidance for governments and stakeholders by eminent legal experts on principles of international law relevant for consideration in the design and implementation of trade-related climate measures and policies. The report reviews a set of recognized principles of international law that the expert group deems especially relevant for consideration including: Sovereignty; Prevention; Cooperation; Prohibition of Arbitrary & Unjustifiable Discrimination; Sustainable Development, Equity, & CBDR-RC; and Transparency & Consultation. The vision driving this report is that shared understandings on such principles could help foster dialogue and international cooperation on the design and implementation of trade-related climate measures and policies in the context of sustainable development priorities. According to the expert group, trade-related climate measures and policies should be approached as legal hybrids. Their rationale, design, and the debates about them draw from different areas of international law relating to the environment, climate, international trade and general international law. The principles are analysed in a way that presents them as cumulative and simultaneously applicable, in a mutually supportive and coherent manner, giving full effect to all relevant parts of international law, insofar as possible

The Bali Agreement: Implications for Development and the WTO

At the most recent World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference, in December 2013, in Bali, Indonesia, ministers from 160 countries concluded the first multilateral agreement ever negotiated under the auspices of the WTO. After five years of impasse in the moribund Doha Round of trade negotiations, the so-called “Bali package” was enthusiastically welcomed by the world’s governments and international press alike as a critical step towards restoring the credibility of the WTO as a negotiating forum. The centrepiece of the package is without doubt a new agreement on trade facilitation aimed at reducing red tape, and facilitating customs procedures in an effort to cut down the cost of doing business. Other — less far reaching — aspects of the deal focused on food security and a set of issues of particular interest to least developed countries including trade preferences or cotton subsidies. As the dust from the heated Bali negotiations settles, the main challenge for the WTO will now consist in building on this success to re-energise multilateral negotiations and ultimately close the Doha Round. In a world increasingly dominated by regional and bilateral free-trade agreements, members will have to confront the core issues that have divided them for nearly 15 years and find creative solutions to rehabilitate the WTO’s centrality in global trade governance

The Decline of Commodity Prices and Global Agricultural Trade Negotiations: A Game Changer?

With food prices reaching their lowest levels since 2006, governments have been under increased pressure to increase tariff protection or provide state aid to guarantee remunerative prices and maintain farm income domestically, often at the expense of smaller countries that cannot compete with the treasuries of large agriculture players. A review of trade-restrictive measures applied in the last 10 years confirms the resurgence of such isolating trade policies and a significant shift towards more government subsidies and market access protection. Based on this data and a review of recent policy changes in major economies such as the EU, US and China, this paper assesses the possible implications of this new price environment for future reforms of agricultural policies, including the prospects for removing trade distortions as envisaged under the 2030 Development Agenda

The Decline of Commodity Prices and Global Agricultural Trade Negotiations: A Game Changer?

With food prices reaching their lowest levels since 2006, governments have been under increased pressure to increase tariff protection or provide state aid to guarantee remunerative prices and maintain farm income domestically, often at the expense of smaller countries that cannot compete with the treasuries of large agriculture players. A review of trade-restrictive measures applied in the last 10 years confirms the resurgence of such isolating trade policies and a significant shift towards more government subsidies and market access protection. Based on this data and a review of recent policy changes in major economies such as the EU, US and China, this paper assesses the possible implications of this new price environment for future reforms of agricultural policies, including the prospects for removing trade distortions as envisaged under the 2030 Development Agenda.La caída de los precios de los productos básicos y las negociaciones mundiales sobre el comercio agrícola: ¿un cambio en las reglas del juego?Como consecuencia de la reducción de los precios de los alimentos a sus niveles más bajos desde 2006, los gobiernos se han visto cada vez más presionados a aumentar la protección arancelaria o a proporcionar ayuda estatal, de modo de garantizar precios remunerativos y mantener los ingresos agrícolas nacionales, a menudo a expensas de los países más pequeños que no pueden competir con las arcas de los grandes actores del sector agrícola. Una revisión de las medidas restrictivas para el comercio aplicadas en los últimos diez años confirma el resurgimiento de este tipo de políticas comerciales de aislamiento, como asimismo un importante giro hacia el incremento de las subvenciones estatales y la protección al acceso al mercado. Basándose en estos datos, así como en un análisis de los cambios recientes en las políticas de grandes economías como las de la UE, Estados Unidos y China, el presente artículo evalúa las posibles repercusiones de este nuevo contexto de precios para las futuras reformas de las políticas agrícolas, incluyendo las perspectivas para eliminar las distorsiones comerciales de acuerdo con lo previsto en la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible

The Role of Trade and Trade Policy in Advancing the 2030 Development Agenda

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals, recently adopted by the UN Assembly as part of the new 2030 Development Agenda, establish a set of highly ambitious goals and targets touching upon a broad range of issues from poverty alleviation and food security to natural resources and clean energy. Taken together, these universal and multilaterally endorsed goals provide a critical framework for policy orientation for the next 15 years. In the absence of new international financial commitments, trade—and, more broadly, policies that affect trade flows—will have a significant role to play in the implementation process. Based on a review of recent evolutions in the global trade policy landscape, this article explores possible avenues for harnessing the potential of trade policies to achieve these goals and targets. In doing so, it focuses on three areas where trade’s contribution will be particularly critical—namely, food security, sustainable energy, and oceans. In those areas, it highlights existing shortcomings in international trade governance frameworks and assesses possible avenues for addressing them through multilateral negotiations and plurilateral or regional agreements

Tendances récentes des échanges commerciaux internationaux et des négociations internationales

En 2009, les échanges commerciaux internationaux ont été dominés par la crise financière et économique la plus importante depuis plusieurs années. La production mondiale a reculé, tout comme le volume des échanges commerciaux internationaux. Malgré leur absence de responsabilité dans cette crise, les pays en développement les plus pauvres ont aussi été les plus affectés. La Chine, le Brésil et l’Inde ont vu leurs exportations diminuer d’un quart à un tiers au cours du second semestre 2008, mais les pays ne faisant pas partie du groupe des 20 premiers pays en développement exportateurs ont été encore plus touchés. Le commerce et le PIB recommencent à croître, mais certains économistes s’attendent à une récession à double creux. Si le chômage continue d’augmenter, il se pourrait que les gouvernements aient plus de mal à résister aux pressions protectionnistes. Concernant les négociations à l’OMC, la crise est à double tranchant. Les gouvernements font face à des préoccupations plus immédiates, mais la crise a fait renaître le spectre du protectionnisme, rendant un accord commercial d’autant plus nécessaire. Le groupe des 20 premières économies du monde (G-20) a appelé à la conclusion du Cycle de Doha en 2010. Reste à savoir si ces promesses porteront leurs fruits. Le nombre d’accords bilatéraux continue de croître – la Suisse y participe d’ailleurs avec enthousiasme. Certains de ces accords ont été critiqués notamment parce qu’ils contiennent des obligations qui vont au-delà de celles prescrites par l’OMC, en particulier dans le domaine de la propriété intellectuelle. En attendant, il est tout à fait raisonnable de dire que le programme du Cycle de Doha ne reflète pas de nombreux problèmes actuels, en particulier la question des changements climatiques. Alors que les Etats-Unis et l’UE menacent d’imposer des droits de douane sur les importations en provenance d’économies émergentes ne disposant pas de plafond d’émissions de CO2, il est clair que les gouvernements doivent trouver un moyen de discuter des nouveaux défis auxquels l’économie mondiale doit faire face

The Challenges Facing the Multilateral Trading System in Addressing Global Public Policy Objectives

Despite a record-breaking 14.5 per cent increase in world merchandise exports, the effects of the financial crisis and global recession are still hampering faster economic recovery. Relatively high oil prices combined with persistent unemployment and measures designed to reduce budget deficits have undermined short-term growth prospects. While South–South trade continues to explode, trade imbalances – i.e. the gap between exports and imports – widened in 2010 compared to 2009 (though smaller than pre-crisis levels). Meanwhile, trade negotiations under the Doha Round have reached an impasse, generating uncertainties about the future of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a negotiating forum. Under these circumstances, should the system rethink its decision-making process founded upon the predominance of member states, the principle of consensus and the notion of single undertaking, as some critics have suggested? And, if so, how could such a reform agenda be initiated at the WTO? Moreover, beyond the negotiating function of the WTO, the paralysis of the system also raises urgent questions about the ability of the system to respond to pressing challenges of our times, such as trade and climate change, or food security and price volatility

Le système commercial multilatéral face aux défis des politiques publiques globales

En dépit d’une augmentation record de 14,5 % des exportations mondiales de marchandises, les effets de la crise financière et de la récession mondiale continuent de ralentir le redressement économique. Les prix relativement élevés du pétrole, le chômage persistant et les mesures visant à réduire les déficits budgétaires ont compromis les perspectives de croissance à court terme. Alors que les échanges commerciaux Sud-Sud poursuivent leur explosion, les déséquilibres commerciaux – c’est-à-dire l’écart entre les exportations et les importations – se sont creusés en 2010 par rapport à 2009, sans toutefois atteindre des niveaux antérieurs à la crise. Entre-temps, les négociations commerciales menées dans le cadre du Cycle de Doha sont entrées dans une impasse, suscitant des incertitudes quant à l’avenir de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC) en tant que forum de négociations. Dans ces circonstances, le système devrait-il revoir son processus décisionnel, basé sur la prédominance des Etats membres, le consensus et le principe de l’engagement unique, comme certaines voix critiques l’ont suggéré ? Et, dans ce cas, comment un tel programme de réforme pourrait-il être entamé à l’OMC ? Au-delà de la fonction de négociation de l’OMC, la paralysie du système soulève également des questions urgentes sur sa capacité à maîtriser les défis importants de notre temps tels que le commerce et le changement climatique ou la sécurité alimentaire et la volatilité des prix