Assessment of market access for agricultural goods in the eu regional trade agreements

Оlena Dzyad

doi:10.15587/2312-8372.2016.60483

Abstract

Based on the analysis of the tariff regime the assessment of market access for agricultural products in regional trade agreements (RTA s ) with the EU was made. It was established that the principles of agricultural protectionism formed and continue to determine the development of the EU agricultural markets and the position of the EU in the RTAs. The majorities of the EU RTAs are signed and valid within the countries which aren’t strategic partners in agricultural trade. Their tariff regime is characterized by low rates with a high proportion of tariff lines which are not imposed by tariff and also by list of goods for which tariff quotas are fixed. For the EU strategic partners (which are currently trading with the EU in the standard GSP) high tariff rates are combined with a low percentage of tariff lines that are not imposed by tariffs. In case of signing RTAs there is a significant potential of liberalization of the tariff regime for them. Non-tariff instruments dominate in agricultural trade; they are approved and can be regu lated by WTO rules. It is likely that regional multilateral agreements between the leading players will contribute not only «mitigate conflicts», but also to progress negotiations on agriculture in the WTO and the growth trade of agricultural products.

Highlights

The issue of increasing access to agricultural markets for developing countries is still a priority in WTO discussions
The results of the research are following: 1. The agricultural protection policies adopted in the 1960s still predetermine the development of the EU agricultural markets, as well as the EU position in the international markets and RTAs. 2
Most bilateral RTAs are concluded with the countries that are not EU’s strategic partners in agricultural trade

Summary

Introduction

The issue of increasing access to agricultural markets for developing countries is still a priority in WTO discussions. The purpose of the research is to assess agricultural market access in the EU regional trade agreements based on the tariff regimes analysis. To achieve this purpose, it is necessary to perform the following:. The EU establishment was a huge step back for the implementation of the most favourable nation (MFN) regime in agriculture and created significant obstacles to deeper agricultural trade liberalisation during the Dilon round (1961–1962) and the Kennedy Round of GATT (1964–1967) [7] It was only during the Uruguay Round (1986–1994) that the trading nations signed the Agreement on Agriculture and aligned the multilateral trade agreements with the WTO rules and regulations [11]. The level of safeguards in the EU agricultural market under the most favourable nation regime (MFN) 2013 [12]

Standard GSP

Preferential tariff at the end of the implementation period

Findings

Conclusions and prospects for further research