§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to discuss with EU colleagues research on the proposal to introduce a development box in the WTO agreement on agriculture. [59892]
§ Clare ShortThe UK Government are due to discuss the research with EU colleagues over the coming months.
§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on the proposal to introduce a development box in the WTO agreement on agriculture. [59893]
§ Clare ShortThe UK is committed to measures aimed at helping poor countries to develop their economies and take a more active part in international trade. To this end, we are considering the special and differential treatment and development box proposals made by certain, so called "like-minded" developing countries in the WTO's Agriculture Committee. These proposals contain some interesting elements, including developing countries reducing tariffs more slowly, extension of the safeguard mechanism and maintaining the flexibilities for developing countries agreed in the Uruguay Round. We will actively consider these ideas in the context of the agriculture negotiations.
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§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research her Department has carried out on the proposal for introducing a development box in the WTO agreement on agriculture; and if she will make a statement. [59891]
§ Clare ShortA number of proposals have been made by developing countries in the WTO's Agriculture Special Session, to include Special and Differential Treatment or Development Box measures in the next agriculture agreement. My Department has commissioned independent analysis of these proposals. This is publicly available on the DFID website.
§ Mrs. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to discuss with EU colleagues the findings of the research paper by Oxford Policy Management, commissioned by her Department, on the proposal for introducing a development box in the WTO agreement on agriculture. [60556]
§ Clare ShortThe UK Government are due to discuss the research with EU colleagues over the coming months.
§ Mrs. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research her Department has carried out on the proposal for introducing a development box in the WTO agreement on agriculture. [60557]
§ Clare ShortA number of proposals have been made by developing countries in the WTO's Agriculture Special Session, to include Special and Differential Treatment or Development Box measures in the next agriculture agreement. My Department has commissioned independent analysis of these proposals. This is publicly available on the DFID website.