WTO agriculture negotiators from some 20-odd countries expressed broad sympathy for the concerns of small and vulnerable economies (SVEs) during a so-called 'Room F' small-group consultation on 4 May. However, final arrangements for SVEs are likely to depend on the kinds of special and differential treatment ultimately agreed to for all developing countries. Agriculture Chair Ambassador Crawford Falconer convened the meeting after circulating a 'reference paper' on the subject earlier that day.

The Doha Declaration reaffirms Members' commitment to adopt specific measures to facilitate SVEs' fuller integration into the multilateral trading system "without creating a sub-category of WTO Members."

Unlike standard Room F consultations, many of the negotiators present were from SVEs that normally tend not to be included in such gatherings, although major traders were also present. According to sources, the meeting was primarily an opportunity for the demandeurs to set out their positions and hear initial responses. The chair indicated that future Room F consultations would have more of the main Member groupings represented and perhaps fewer SVEs present.

The reference paper drew on a November 2005 submission from 14 SVEs (TN/AG/GEN/11) calling for SVEs to be exempted from the standard tiered tariff reduction formula, and instead to cut all tariffs by no more than 15 percent, with a minimum of 10 percent per tariff line, and no tariff cap. They also wanted all of their agricultural tariff lines to receive automatic access to the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) for developing countries, and the ability to self-designate 'Special Products' (SPs) for complete exemption from tariff reduction and tariff rate quota commitments. Finally, the SVEs requested other countries to cut tariffs substantially on the few products of export interest to them.

The Chair concluded that any SVE-specific arrangements would depend on the overall tariff reduction formula for developing countries, as well as the outcome of discussions on SPs and the SSM.

ICTSD reporting.