WTO

The World Trade Organization (WTO) deals with the international rules of global trade, based on agreements negotiated among its member countries. The WTO monitors the application of jointly agreed rules, functions as a forum for negotiating new agreements and provides a framework for settling trade disputes. In the sector of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, key WTO agreements include the Agreement on Agriculture and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the “SPS Agreement”), governing the global trade in agricultural products.

Negotiations on further liberalization of agricultural trade within the WTO began as early as 2000 on the basis of the mandate of the Agreement on Agriculture, and the agricultural package was also included in the Doha Round launched the following year. The overall liberalization of agricultural trade also covers rules and restrictions on agricultural subsidies. However, the negotiations have progressed slowly.

In Finland, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has the overall responsibility for WTO matters, but the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry actively participates in monitoring the application of rules through the WTO Committees on Agriculture and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. The Ministry is also active in the preparation of Finland’s official positions in the Doha Round negotiations.

Useful external websites

WTO

WTO website on agriculture

WTO website on SPS measures