WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONTN/AG/2
26 June 2002
(02-3572)
Committee on Agriculture
Special Session
TWELFTH SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Report by the Chairman, Stuart Harbinson, to the Trade Negotiations Committee
1. The Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture, which was established by the General
Council (WT/GC/M/53) and  which is pursuing negotiations under paragraphs 13, 14 and other
relevant provisions of the Doha Ministerial Declaration as agreed by the Trade NegotiationsCommittee (TN/C/M/1), held its twelfth meeting on 20 June 2002.
2. The agenda as set out in WTO/AIR/1831 was adopted.
3. The  Chairman presented a brief oral report on his own responsibility concerning the main
features of the technical work on the elaboration of detailed possible modalities, including rules-
related elements, in the area of export competition (including export restrictions) which had beenundertaken, in accordance with the programme adopted at the eleventh  Special Session (TN/AG/1
refers), in an informal Special Session held on 17-18 June and in inter-sessional informal
consultations (TN/AG/1 refers).  This report will be included in the Secretariat summary report on the
twelfth Special Session (to be issued as TN/AG/R/2).
4. A number of statements were made by participants regarding the work undertaken thus far on
export competition, including with respect to th e manner in which, or the extent to which, the
contributions and positions of some participants had been covered in the Chairman's report.  Some
participants objected to the inclusion in the negotiations of export taxes and/or export restrictions.
Participants' statements will be reflected in the Secretariat summary report on the meeting.
5. In accordance with the programme adopted at the eleventh Special Session the next informal
Special Session, which is to be held on 2-3 September and is to be followed by a formal Special
Session on 4 September, will take up the techni cal elaboration of detailed possible modalities,
including rules-related elements, in the area of  market access.  It was noted that under the programme
informal and formal Special Sessions on domestic support were scheduled in the week of
23 September.  It was agreed that, in order to prepare for these meetings, inter-sessional informal
consultations on market access would be held on 29-30 July and on domestic support on
5-6 September.  It was also agreed that, in order to facilitate the participation of non-resident andsmaller delegations,  informal summary notes would be prepared and made available on each of these
informal inter-sessional consultations.
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