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Agricultural Trade Fact Sheet |
Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference |
Doha, 9-14 November 2001 |
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Agricultural Trade Fact Sheet |
Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference |
Doha, 9-14 November 2001 |
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World production of fish currently stands at the level of 126 million tonnes, equivalent to 16.3 kg per caput. International trade of fish and fishery products reached US$52 billion in 1997-99, more than three-times that of 1980-82 (Figure 1).
Exports of fish and fishery products by developing countries experienced a four-fold increase from 1980-82 to reach US$26 billion in 1997-99. As a result, the share of developing countries in World trade of fish and fishery products increased from 40 percent in 1980 to 50% in 1994-96 and 1997-99, despite the slight decrease experienced since 1997 (Figure 2). The share of developing countries in World agricultural trade shows a decline in the period considered (Figure 2).
Several issues of international importance have emerged in the area of World fishery trade, capture and aquaculture. What follows is a brief account of these issues and FAO's experience in these areas.
In 1998 the WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) found the USA guilty of discrimination against other Members due to the US ban on imports from countries that used harvesting techniques which adversely affected sea turtles. The USA then announced an assistance programme to help developing countries equipping their nets with Turtle Excluding Devices (TEDs). Therefore, in October 2001, the WTO Appellate Body allowed the USA to maintain the ban only as long as they kept up serious good faith efforts to reach an international agreement on sea turtle conservation. Thus, WTO created an important precedent for the implementation of the principle of mutual supportiveness between trade and the environment. There is a wide scope for FAO to co-operate with WTO on these issues.
During the past ten years, several countries have been advocating the inclusion of commercial marine species on CITES appendices. The CITES Standing Committee, meeting on 11-15 March 2002 in Geneva (Switzerland), will discuss the Animals and Plants Committees' reports on listing criteria, amended to include commercial marine species. Final presentation of the criteria will take place at the Twelfth Conference of the Contracting Parties to the CITES Convention (CoP 12), meeting in Santiago (Chile) on 3-15 November 2002. FAO has the right to be consulted in the amendment process. Key meetings for the finalisation of the position of FAO are part of the second technical consultation on the suitability of CITES' criteria for listing commercially-exploited aquatic species (Windhoek, Namibia, 22-25 October 2001) and part of the Eighth session of the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade of COFI (COFI-FT), meeting on 12-16 February 2002 in Bremen, Germany.
Food safety and quality concerns led some countries to set up legislation on the traceability of food products. EU regulation 104/2000, article 4 - which will be implemented on 1 January 2002 - allows the marketing of fishery products only if these have a clear label indicating the commercial identification of the species, the production method and the catch area. The implementation of this regulation may entail some trade barriers, especially for those countries not being able to afford sophisticated traceability systems.
Increasing public demand for healthy and environmentally friendly food led actors from the public and private sector to develop eco-labelling schemes. According to FAO, such schemes must be transparent, voluntary, non-discriminatory and non-trade restricting.
WTO encourages its Member States to harmonise their health and safety standards with international standards set, inter alia, by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products is currently developing the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products, aimed at helping the implementation of Good Management Practices (GMP) and of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) in developing countries.
