IPCPublications

Should the Green Box be Modified?

March 2007

Agriculture is at the heart of the current Doha "Development" Round of trade negotiations, with increased market access for agriculture playing an important role in furthering economic development and poverty reduction in developing countries. Progress in reducing trade-distorting subsidies has been helped through the introduction of the "Green Box" category in the WTO, which identifies minimally trade-distorting support, including financial support for research and development, food aid, decoupled income support, disaster relief, and environmental programs. In this IPC Discussion Paper, David Blandford and Timothy Josling raise salient questions regarding the Green Box, and how it can best be utilized to meet the needs of both rich and poor countries.

© 2015 International Food & Agricultural Trade Policy Council
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