Country Studies on Special Products and the Special Safeguard Mechanism: Evaluation, Feedback and Strategy - An ICTSD Informal Consultation

24th February 2005

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WTO Members adopted, on 1st August 2004, the General Council Decision on the Doha Work Programme. Annex A of this Decision sets out a framework constituting the basis for the crafting of full modalities during the next phase of negotiations. Paragraph 41 of the framework clearly states: “Developing countries will have the flexibility to designate an appropriate number of products as Special Products, based on criteria of food security, livelihood security and rural development needs.” The text also indicates that the criteria and treatment of special products will be further specified. In addition, paragraph 42 states that “A Special Safeguard Mechanism (SMM) will be established for use by developing countries”, the details of which will be developed in the next phase of the negotiations.

In order to contribute towards a better of understanding of issues relevant to negotiations under Para 41 and 42, ICTSD has initiated a number of country studies on Special Products and the Special Safeguard Mechanism. The countries in question are Barbados, Honduras, Kenya, Pakistan, Peru and Sri Lanka. On 24 February, the country study experts were invited to come to Geneva to provide feedback on the study process and to informally discuss the issues relevant to these studies. The Geneva missions of the countries in which the studies are being carried were also invited.

List of Participants

Country study experts

Ricardo Arias
FIDE (Fundacion para la Inversion y Desarrollo de Exportaciones), Honduras

Teresa M. Deras
FIDE (Fundacion para la Inversion y Desarrollo de Exportaciones), Honduras

Anura Herath
Economic Research Unit, Department of Export Agriculture, Sri Lanka

Panos Konandreas
Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Rome

Emalene Marcus-Burnett
Barbados Agricultural Planning Unit

Fred A Miencha
Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), Kenya

Edward Owango
National Council of WTO - Sub-committee on Agriculture, Kenya

Julio Paz Cafferata
Indipendent Consultant, Peru

Gregg Rawlins
FAO/CARICOM Food Security Project

Alberto Valdéz
Independent Consultant, Chile

Representatives from Geneva Missions

Nicole Clarke
Permanent Mission of Barbados

H.E Gomi Senadhira
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka

Mujeeb A Khan
Permanent Mission of Pakistan

Ann Kamau
Permanent Mission of Kenya

Milagros Miranda Rojas
Permanent Mission of Peru

ICTSD

Ricardo Meléndez-Ortiz
ICTSD

Constantine Bartel
ICTSD

Christophe Bellmann
ICTSD

Mahesh Sugathan
ICTSD

Malena Sell
ICTSD

Sarah Mohan
ICTSD