Tous Actualités
Suivre
Abonner Schweizerischer Bauernverband

Schweizerischer Bauernverband

Press release G10 farmers organisations

Brugg (ots)

After intensive discussions with governmental and WTO
officials in Geneva, we farm organisations from the G10-countries of 
Japan, Korea, Norway and Switzerland, express our grave concerns 
about the development of the WT O negotiations in agriculture. 
Exporting countries like G20 and USA have continued to put forward 
aggressive negotiating proposals such as drastic tariff reductions, 
tariff capping, and limitation on the number of sensitive products 
while importing countries’ requests for reflecting non-trade 
concerns and providing flexibility in market access have not been 
properly accommodated. We are also deeply concerned about the recent 
proposal of the EU including tariff capping and deep cuts in 
tariffs. These proposals do not consider the special situation of 
the agriculture in the net food importing countries.
Only 10 % of the total world food production is traded 
internationally. WTO rules should be clear and transparent for the 
international trade of agricultural products, but not endanger 
agriculture and its multifunctionality. Each country should have the 
right to produce food for national consumption. Modalities should be 
balanced and fair to ensure the coexistence of different forms of 
agriculture. We therefore strongly oppose excessive market access 
and the capping of tariffs. The tariff capping will only hit a few 
countries, like the G10 members, who are already among the biggest 
importers per capita of agricultural goods, while countries which 
are distorting the world markets the most will remain untouched. We 
also underscore the need for an appropriate number of sensitive 
products and a flexible treatment of these products to sustain the 
special role of agriculture to provide food security, maintain 
viable rural communities and attractive landscapes.
We urge our governments to work for an acceptable and balanced WTO 
agreement that takes fully into account the non-trade-concerns 
mentioned above. The new agreement should not go beyond the July 
2004 package. The process towards and agreement must be transparent 
and democratic and include all member countries of the WTO. In 
order to avoid fatal results at the Hong Kong Ministerial Meeting, 
it is the US and the G20 that should give in substantially to 
narrow the differences in positions between exporting and importing 
countries. We urge our governments not to make any further 
concessions unless the following demands are met:
• Tariff capping is not acceptable
• Each country must be allowed to designate an appropriate number 
of sensitive products. These products must be treated with a great 
deal of flexibility 
• We can not accept drastic cuts in tariffs
• Special Safeguards must be maintained for both developing and 
developed countries
Information:
JA Zenchu (Japanese Farmers): Takuo Ichiya +81 3 3245 7951
Korean Farmers: Jin-Kook Kim +41 22 929 8888
Norwegian Farmers: Hildegunn Gjengedal +47 90 51 83 79
Swiss Farmer's Union: Heidi Bravo +41 78 681 86 06
www.sbv-usp.ch

Plus de actualités: Schweizerischer Bauernverband
Plus de actualités: Schweizerischer Bauernverband
  • 01.11.2005 – 15:30

    Manifestation paysanne: c'est bien parti!

    Brugg (ots) - Le 17 novembre approche: bientôt, des milliers de paysans de toute la Suisse se rassembleront à Berne pour protester contre l'évolution actuelle de la politique agricole. Mais pourquoi cette manifestation? Les paysans veulent dire leur désarroi et leur colère face à un ciel agricole qui s'assombrit de plus en plus. Ils veulent dire que les nuages qui bouchent leur avenir s'appellent OMC, ...

  • 28.10.2005 – 15:35

    L'USP dit OUI à la révision de la loi sur les forêts même si elle est bien maigre

    Brugg (ots) - Lors de sa séance du 27 octobre 2005, l'Union suisse des paysans (USP) a approuvé la prise de position concernant la révision de la loi fédérale sur les forêts. Elle déplore que la révision partielle soit incomplète et que les attentes formulées dans le cadre du "Programme forestier suisse“ n'aient nullement été satisfaites. L'USP ...