Title: Non-trade concerns in WTO trade negotiations: legal and legitimate reasons for revising the ''box'' system

Authors: James R. Simpson, Thomas J. Schoenbaum

Addresses: Faculty of International Communication, Ryukoku University, Seta, Otsu-shi, Shiga 520-2194, Japan. ' International Christian University, 3-10-2 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8585, Japan

Abstract: The extent to which non-trade concerns fit with the overall, long-term WTO Doha Agenda objective ||to establish a fair and market-oriented trading system for world agricultural trade|| is considered from both a legal and economic viewpoint. Human rights guarantees in United Nations covenants related to non-trade concerns are evaluated in light of WTO rules. Proposals are presented for a non-trade concerns ||box|| to be added in a final agreement on agriculture, in line with world-wide calls for food security and development of poor countries, and demands by developed countries for recognition of multifunctionality of agriculture as a way to protect their resources in a sustainable manner.

Keywords: agreement on agriculture; agriculture; development box; Doha; Doha Agenda; food; food security; human rights; human rights covenants; non-trade concerns; NTCs; security box; United Nations; UN; World Trade Organisation; WTO.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2003.003979

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2003 Vol.2 No.3/4, pp.399 - 410

Published online: 10 May 2004 *

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