That is simply the reality in a world where countries all have agendas based on what they deem as best for them. Even when it’s just major trading partners such as Canada and the United States with a trade agreement inked and in place, there are near-constant disputes which require solving. So imagine the problems of making new regulations at World Trade Organization talks.
The chance of any issue not resulting in protracted debate and outright argument is almost nil. Even when a country’s negotiator might be willing to concede a point, they are unlikely to volunteer to do it, choosing instead to try and get some concession they want for any agreement on another point.
In the end, the regulations coming out of WTO are rarely wins or losses for anyone. By nature, the rules agreed to come largely by building consensus. Consensus is almost always a watered-down creation, where everybody at the table gives and takes until some middle ground all can live with is achieved.
It’s a positive that in the end, some regulation that might prevent some trade disputes also means one is completely satisfied. So, when a deal is made, Canadian farmers, in some cases, will think they have gained a little ground on one front but may also feel they lost ground in another area. So, for example, grain farmers might see a gain, while dairy farmers were the pawn sacrificed in the deal.
Given the larger political realities of the world – you can see a return to smaller countries as old divides emerge – and of course, the tension created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has to be putting added pressure on what is achieved through WTO talks.
In a recent release Greg Northey, Vice President of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance and head of CAFTA’s delegation to MC12 in Geneva, issued a statement regarding outcomes at the first WTO Ministerial Meeting in over five years.
“Overall, amid rising global tensions and ever-increasing food security challenges, Canada’s agri-food exporters were expecting meaningful outcomes on agriculture at MC12.”
And some gains in terms of “a Declaration on Trade and Food Security, a Declaration on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and commitments to reform and strengthen the rules-based trading system including its dispute settlement mechanism” it will never be easy to create agreement on sweeping change.
The nature of so many voices makes such progress almost impossible, yet the process of negotiation, building a better atmosphere for trade bit by bit, is still too important a process to ever abandon.
- Calvin Daniels
Comment on this article at lmtimes.ca/calvin
Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer.
Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer.
