Time for a new direction
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2003
(GENEVA) - The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is pleased the Harbinson paper on agricultural trade modalities has lost its status in WTO negotiations. However, CFA is very concerned that no progress has been made in finding a new direction.
“It is critical for Canadian producers that negotiators make progress on building fair and equitable trade rules,” said Bob Friesen, CFA President. “It is equally vital that negotiations take a new direction away from Mr. Harbinson’s paper. The proposals in that paper hold no promise for achieving fairness and equitability.”
Canadian producer representatives were present in Geneva this week when the Chair of the WTO agriculture negotiations, Stuart Harbinson, declared that they would not be able to meet the March 31, 2003 deadline to finalize the agricultural modalities paper. CFA and it members condemned the first two versions of Harbinson’s modalities text because they threatened serious damage to Canadian producers, both from the domestic and export perspectives. It became clear to industry representatives in Geneva that there was little movement on the modalities text and it would be difficult to incorporate any substantial changes to the text.
“The delay in finding a new direction is unfortunate, but stepping back from the Harbinson text opens a door of opportunity,” said Friesen. “Now that the Harbinson text has no status in negotiations Canada has additional time to promote the Canadian government position on market access, export state trading enterprises and achieving an overall cap on domestic support. Canada’s position on these issues was not reflected in either version of the Harbinson modalities text.@
CFA urges negotiators from all nations to work together to set a new direction as soon as possible. Canadian producers need to see substantial progress in developing new fair and equitable modalities proposals before the next ministers’ meeting in Cancun, Mexico, in September.
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Founded in 1935 to provide Canada's farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country's largest farmers' organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations as well as national and inter-provincial commodity organizations from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.
Contact:
Kieran Green, CFA Communications Coordinator, (613) 236-3633, info@cfafca.ca
Bob Friesen, CFA President, (204) 724-0824 (cell)
Brigid Rivoire, CFA Executive Director, (613) 236-3633 / (613) 715-3113 (cell)
