| CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/1
|
| CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/1
|
COMMITTEE ON COMMODITY PROBLEMS |
JOINT MEETING OF THE
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Rome, 4-5 July 2001 |
PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND AGENDA NOTES |
I. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
II. MAJOR POLICY AND ECONOMIC ISSUES RELATING TO BASIC FOOD COMMODITIES
III. INTERNATIONAL POLICY ACTIONS
- Review of policy changes
- Revision of the Guidelines for International Cooperation in the Oilseeds, Oils and Oilmeals Sector
IV. OTHER MATTERS
1. In line with the recommendations of the Committee on Commodity Problems, the Twenty-ninth Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Grains, the Fortieth Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Rice, the Eighteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Meat and the Twenty-ninth Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Oilseeds, Oils and Fats will be held jointly in Rome on 4-5 July 2001. The meeting will open at 09.30 hours on Wednesday, 4 July.
2. Governments are advised that an international symposium on biotechnology and international trade in basic foods, jointly organized by the Secretariat of the Groups (IGGs) and by the Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA), will be convened during the two days preceding the Joint meeting of the IGGs on 2-3 July 2001. The Symposium should be of interest to delegates from Member Governments. Delegates are encouraged to attend both events. An invitation for the Symposium is enclosed herewith.
3. At each session, the IGGs elect one Chairperson and two Vice-chairpersons who hold office until the subsequent session. The present Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons elected at the last Joint meeting of the IGG on Grains and the IGG on Rice are Mr H. Hedley (Canada), Mr S. Nouri-Naeini (Islamic Republic of Iran) and Mr P. Solorzano (Venezuela). The present Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons of the IGG on Meat are Mr G. Brückner (South Africa), Mr E. Zimmerl (Austria) and Mr Rakotondrasoa (Madagascar). The present Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons of the IGG on Oilseeds, Oils and Fats are Mr R Villambrosa (Argentina), Mr P Packnet (United States of America) and Mr B. A. Elias (Malaysia). The officers who will be elected as Chair and Vice-Chairpersons for this 2001 Joint meeting will constitute the Bureau of the four IGGs and will hold the responsibilities associated with their mandate, including those related to the Common Fund for Commodities, until the subsequent sessions of those Groups are convened.
4. A presentation of recent developments and issues on the global market for basic food and feed commodities will be made by the Secretariat. Up-to-date information on the current market situation and the short-term outlook will be tabled at the Session (CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/CRS.1).
5. A paper summarizing the outcome of the baseline projections to 2010 for all basic foodstuffs will be circulated to Governments in advance of the Session (CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/2). The Secretariat will make a visual presentation of the results where it will consider the likely implications of the recent animal disease outbreaks. With the help of this information, the Meeting will examine the medium-term prospects for global foodstuffs markets.
6. Since the adoption of the Guidelines for National and International Action on Rice in 1971 (most recently amended in 1996), the Guidelines for International Cooperation in the Livestock and Meat Sector in 1976 (most recently amended in 1998), and the Guidelines for International Cooperation in the Oilseeds, Oils and Oilmeals Sector in 1980, the three IGGs have maintained, as a standing agenda item, the review of the policy measures taken in the field of their commodities.
7. A paper evaluating the progress made by countries towards achieving these major policy guidelines since they were last reviewed will be presented at this Joint Meeting (CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/3 and CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/3-Supp.1). Delegates are invited to provide additional information and to discuss whether the scope of the policy changes reported in the document are in conformity with the thrust of the Guidelines. A publication providing a more comprehensive overview of recent policy changes for all basic foodstuffs will be available at the meeting.
8. The IGG on Oilseeds, Oils and Fats could not reach a decision, at its 28th Session, on revising the Guidelines. Instead, it concluded that it should reconsider the matter at its next session to allow the Secretariat to compile the comments made during the session and to incorporate further observations to be solicited from governments. A document containing the most recent collection of comments will be circulated to help the Group decide on the revisions it wishes to make to the Guidelines for International Cooperation in the Oilseeds, Oils and Oilmeals Sector (CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/4).
9. A status report on projects on commodities within the area of competence of the IGG on Grains (covering grains, roots, tubers and pulses), the IGG on Rice, the IGG on Meat (covering livestock, meat and dairy) and the IGG on Oilseeds, Oils and Fats will be submitted to the Groups for their information and comment (CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/5). Delegates will be informed of progress made in implementing various projects that are being currently supervised and review new project profiles for sponsoring.
10. Representatives of other international organizations will be invited to inform the Joint Meeting about their recent and planned activities.
11. The Secretariat will inform participants on the recommendations made by the CCP at its 63rd Session with respect to the role and functioning of intergovernmental commodity groups. In this respect, the IGG on Grains and the IGG on Meat will circulate in advance, for approval by member Governments, new terms-of-reference that expand the commodity coverage of their Groups to encompass roots and tubers and pulses in the case of the IGG on Grains (CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/CRS.2 and dairy products in the case of the IGG on Meat (CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01 CRS.3). Delegates will also be invited to provide comments on the structure of the current session, including an evaluation of the international symposium preceding it.
12. The Intergovernmental Group on Meat will consider the report of the 7th Session of the Sub-Group on Hides and Skins which is to be held in Rome from 4 to 6 June 2001 (CCP: GR-RI-ME-OF 01/6).
