Trade and Sustainable Development Symposium Side Events
The biennial Trade and Sustainable Development Symposium, organized by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and held alongside the WTO ministerial conference for over a decade, is the leading multi-stakeholder platform for intellectual enquiry and dialogue on sustainable development and the global trade and investment system. It acts as an inclusive platform outside of the WTO negotiating setting for sharing ideas, engaging in dialogue, and influencing trade policy negotiations. Drawing in participants from government, business and civil society, the Symposium helps to maintain and elaborate a global vision of sustainable development in trade and investment policymaking.
Reconsideration of Agricultural Themes
Wednesday, December 13
1:30 – 3:00 PM
The WTO XI Ministerial meeting will be held in Buenos Aires Argentina in December of this year. In Agriculture the Agenda being discussed is mainly a carry-over of the themes that have been on the table for some time. Although there is still room for negotiation on the three pillars the Argentine government and the conversations undergoing in Geneva are giving considerable attention to Domestic Support where it is considered that progress is more likely.
The XI Ministerial meeting will take place within a complex and uncertain international context. Growing sentiments against globalization in many developed countries and increasing political pressure in favor of protectionist policies have deteriorated the trade environment and the possibilities to advance in multilateral negotiation processes.
Given this international situation it is unlikely that great progress can be made in the areas of the three pillars. For this reason, it seems especially important to make a special effort in the identification of new themes on which a constructive dialogue may be initiated for a more formal consideration in subsequent Ministerial meetings.
Two new themes will be presented and analyzed in the proposed Session; a) Elimination of export restriction in food products and c) Special agreement on environmental standards related to Carbon and other GEIs footprint.
Speakers:
- Eduardo Bianchi, Investigador – Profesor, Escuela Argentina de Negocios y Grupo CEO
- Gustavo Idigoras, Director, Ceagro
- Valeria Piñeiro, Senior Research Coordinator, IFPRI
- Martin Piñeiro, Director for Agriculture, Consejo Argentino para las Relaciones Internacionales