Gafta's Trade Policy service represents members' views to authorities by providing informed opinion on legislative and policy developments through the publication of regular material on the current grain market and policy updates on trade issues.

Role of Trade Policy is to:

• Represent members' interests and engage in dialogue with regulatory authorities and in international forums;
• Promote free trade of agricultural commodities and to encourage open, predictable trade environment to avoid trade disruption and to promote international standards based on sound science to facilitate trade;
• Raise awareness on the instrumental role played by the international trade in transporting safe, sustainable, nutritious and affordable food and feed from areas of surplus to areas of deficit to feed a growing world population and ensure global food security;
• With a global membership in over 90 countries and growing, Gafta is well placed to access information and to develop effective and timely policy positions and successfully influencing outcomes;
• Monitor legislative and policy developments through the publication of regular updates on agricultural policy with a focus on market access and advise our global membership in a timely fashion to avoid trade disruption. Gafta's Trade Policy Committee (GTPC), prioritises key market access and phytosanitary issues on a quarterly basis and to avoid barriers to trade and agrees advocacy plans with strategic partners.

Areas of interest:

• Agricultural Trade and Food and Feed Safety: Agricultural Biotech and Gene Editing; Maximum Residue Limits for Crop Protection Products (CPPs), Maximum level Contaminants and Undesirable Substances, International Phytosanitary Standard for the Movement of Grain; Free Trade Agreements;
• Market Access issues are regularly changing across the world and are prioritised quarterly by Gafta's Global Trade Policy Committee,
• Sustainability – UN Sustainable Development Goals, Gafta Sustainability Pledge
• Food and Feed Security – World Committee on Food Security prioritises SDGs, Agroecology, Nutrition and others.

Approach to policy:

• Aim to ensure free, open and predictable trade and to achieve a market and regulatory environment that supports our members interests and avoids disruption to the flow of goods;
• Promote the use of international standards where they exist ie Codex, ISO (UN FAO, WTO; IPPC, Codex, ...) With a long history since 1878, Gafta is well known to international organisations and with its observer status provides for effective and timely representation;
• Support sound science-based policy decisions in all fields which takes a risk-based approach to regulatory decision making on food and feed safety to ensure supply of safe, sustainable and nutritious food and feed materials globally.