GAFTA TRADE POLICYWorld agricultural trade issues are of prime importance to GAFTA members. GAFTA covers all relevant areas of international trade policy including:
» WTO
» International Trade Negotiations
» World Plant and Animal Health Legislation
» Market Access and Customs Issues
» Health and Safety Matters
GAFTA has excellent relationships with international organisations and authorities, providing access to information and routes for effective representation. How it worksThe Trade Policy Department sends out a range of weekly information circulars, highlighting current policy developments and covering issues affecting international trade, including the activities of WTO and EU. The Department also monitors appropriate national and international legislation, animal and plant health regulations, agricultural policy, market access and customs issues. Who to Contact
June Arnold, Head of Policy who deals with legislative
trade policy issues.
Trade News
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EU, Australian and US wheat forecasts 2010-11 onwards
The US Wheat Associates and Abare have written
articles in GAFTAWORLD on wheat outlook 2010-2011 onwards The EU 27 forecast
is 58.2m ha cereal area and 291.8 mt cereal production for 2010/2011
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more info in members area Trade News.
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EU import licences - II subquota 2010
The EU has published regulations allocating
import licences under various Tariff Rate Quotas. See circular AM/2010/20,
21 and 88.
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more info in members area Trade News.
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Ukraine Technical Standard for Wheat
The Government of Ukraine published a national
standard for wheat due to requirements for wheat in domestic and international
markets on 1st July 2009. The government has asked for input from GAFTA
membership
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more info in members area Trade News.
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China: measures applied to imported canola
Members are reminded of the import measures
imposed by the Chinese authorities on canola consignments. The State General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (SAQSIQ)
found bacteria which can cause plant blackleg in Canadian canola during
recent inspections. GAFTA's China office is informed that traders are required
to apply for an "Entry Certification of Inspection and Quarantine for
plant and animal"
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more info in members area Trade News.
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GM approved events
The European Commission approved four new GM
maize transformation events MON 88017, MON89034 and 59122xNK603 on 5th November
2009 and MIR 604 on 1st December. Similarly, EU approves 4 GM events on
2nd March.
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more info in members area Trade News.
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Traces of GM found in imports
Because of the different global approval systems
for GMOs, GAFTA has been lobbying the EU authorities and member states asking
for a long term solution so that all imports into the EU can continue without
threat of disruption. There have been several different incidents where
traces of unapproved events were found in imports ie Mon 88017 from the
US, FP967 linseed (Triffid) from Canada, to list but a few. Chinese authorities
have signaled a significant increase of GM crops particularly rice and maize
in China and Brazil has also approved GM soyabean event not yet approved
in the EU. It is clear the EU zero tolerance policy is not working. Imports
are rejected if containing traces of GMOs that are not approved in that
country, if a zero tolerance policy applies. The EU Commission is considering
different options to find a "technical solution" but a solution is long
overdue and GAFTA expects a proposal to be presented before new harvest.
GAFTA is actively lobbying EU authorities and Ministers to find a long term
solution in favour of the speeding up of EU authorisation processes and to
achieve a sensible tolerance to continue imports minimising disruption to trade.
The new Commissioner John Dalli is also working on guidelines to provide for
subsidiarity of cultivation of GM crops across the EU.
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more info in members area Trade News.
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EU continues to set maximum levels for different contaminants in food
and feed
The EU has recently set maximum limits for
aflatoxins in cereals, oilseeds, spices and nuts and OTA limits in spices.
Work is ongoing on dioxins, dioxin like PCBs, T2 HT2, cadmium, arsenic.
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more info in members area Trade News.
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Intervention systems
The EU member states have since adopted
implementing rules for intervention of durum wheat and rice in force
since 1 July 2009. The horizontal rules for the buying-in and selling
of agricultural products under public intervention were adopted by member
states and published on 29th December in the Official Journal. Similarly,
Ukraine has also recently adopted a new resolution on intervention. Member
states are now discussing grain analysis measures for intervention
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more info in members area Trade News.
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WTO Doha Round of Negotiations
GAFTA fully supports the liberalisation
of trade and regrets the failure of the Ministerial in Geneva but remains
committed to supporting the multilateral approach and a conclusion of
the Doha Round considering substantial progress made in negotiations
and participated in the 7th Ministerial Meeting in Geneva
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more info in members area Trade News.
GAFTA publishes regular material to keep Members
informed of legislative and policy developments. Members receive: (Click on
links below to view)
Members please login for all trade news circulars, newsletters and factsheets
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