The report concludes with a brief discussion of some ongoing debates and the potential role of governments with respect to voluntary social and environmental standards. The first issue of debate is local flexibility versus global credibility of certification programmes. Involvement of a variety of stakeholders in standard-setting is important to ensure...

Europe, and in particular the European Union (EU) is a key market for date exporters. Although the EU imports of dates represent only 10 percent of world imports in volume, they account for some 30 percent in value. This reflects the fact that EU import prices for dates are comparatively much higher than the world average. However, the value of EU imports has been relatively stagnant over the last decade...

A variety of voluntary social and environmental standards and certification programmes in agriculture have appeared during the past twenty years. Governments have been or become involved in some of them, most obviously in organic agriculture and the related labelling. Other programmes are driven by the agriculture sector itself, such as, again, organic agriculture, or the programmes involved in the COLEACP Harmonized Framework or by the food retail sector, such as...

This paper reflects on the GATT/WTO legal aspects of social and environmental standards and voluntary certification and labelling programmes in agriculture. The paper focuses on programmes with an international scope and with standards relevant for the crop production sector, including labelling of derived food products. The purpose of the paper is to advise governments and standard setting and labelling organizations alike by presenting the most relevant provisions in the WTO...

Although given prominence in the context of the current World Trade Organization (WTO) trade negotiations, trade reforms are generally a component of a wider set of economic and institutional reforms. The complexity of reform packages, the wide variation in policy sets, the context within which they are used, and the thoroughness with which they are followed through, makes it extremely difficult to isolate the impact of specific trade reforms on...

Latest information confirms a sharp drop in global cereal production in 2002, to 1 833 million tonnes. As a result of this, and a marginal rise expected in total cereal utilization in 2002/03, world cereal stocks for crop years ending in 2003 are forecast to plunge sharply, by 110 million tonnes from their opening level, to 466 million tonnes. The number of countries facing severe food emergencies worldwide stands at 39....

The global supply and demand balance for cereals is pointing to a tighter situation in 2002/03 than was anticipated earlier in the wake of deteriorating crop prospects in a number of major producing countries. Based on the production and consumption forecasts for 2002/03, world cereal stocks for crop years ending in 2003 are expected to plunge sharply. The humanitarian crisis in southern Africa is deepening as international response has so...

The new 2002/03 marketing season could mark the beginning of a much tighter supply and demand situation for cereals: opening stocks are smaller than in the previous season, production is forecast to fall and consumption is expected to rise. A total of 31 countries throughout the world are currently experiencing severe food shortages and require international food assistance. A new food crisis has emerged in southern Africa, following two successive...

FAO’s first forecasts for cereal production in 2002 and utilization in 2002/03 indicate that output will remain below the expected level of utilization and stocks will have to be drawn down again in 2003 for the fourth consecutive year. However, supplies are expected to remain ample, particularly of wheat and coarse grains. Despite a generally favourable global food outlook, some 34 countries around the world are experiencing food shortages. The...

Global cereal output in 2001 is provisionally estimated at 1 880 million tonnes (including rice in milled terms), slightly up from the forecast in December and 1.2 percent up on the previous year. However, with global cereal utilization in 2001/02 still forecast to be well above this level at 1 935 million tonnes, the global cereal stocks will be drawn down significantly. While overall food supply prospects for 2002 are more...