ASEAN Agreement

ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS
ASEAN
Dr.T.P.Sethumadhavan

India signed in the ASEAN Agreement which came in to effect from 1st january 2010 . Specific areas under the ASEAN cooperation in food, agriculture and forestry include food security, food handling, crops, livestock, fisheries, agricultural training and extension, agricultural cooperatives, forestry and joint cooperation in agriculture and forest products promotion scheme.

Objective

The basic objective of the ASEAN cooperation in food, agriculture and forestry is to formulate and implement regional cooperation activities to enhance the international competitiveness of ASEAN’s food, agriculture and forestry products as well as further strengthen the food security arrangement in the region and the joint positions in international for a.

Mandates

• To strengthen food security in the region
• To facilitate and promote intra and extra ASEAN trade in Agricultural and forestry products
• Generation of transfer of technology to increase productivity
• Private sector participation
• Promote agriculture extension and rural development
• Management and conservation of natural resources for sustainable development
• Address international and regional issues.


Sector B-Agriculture

B3. SUB-SECTOR: LIVESTOCK

STRATEGIC THRUST 2: ENHANCEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS OF ASEAN FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS/ COMMODITIES

Action Programme 1:

Enhancement of intra- and extra-ASEAN trade and long-term competitiveness of ASEAN's food and agricultural products/commodities.

1.1 Monitoring of the implementation of the CEPT Scheme for AFTA for livestock and livestock products.

1.1.1 Monitoring of number of tariff lines in CEPT Scheme lists (Inclusion List, Temporary Exclusion List, etc.) and trade values by the ASEAN Secretariat and reporting to WGL meetings. (2005-2010)

1.2 Intensification of cooperation in production and processing technology development and transfer and enhancement of development, harmonization and adoption of quality standards for products through:

1.2.1 Establishment of an accreditation scheme for livestock and livestock products that are widely traded between ASEAN Member Countries. (2005-2010)

(i) Develop and finalise criteria for accreditation of livestock establishments
1. Ducks for slaughter.
2. Dairy Cattle
3. Duck eggs
4. Horses for sporting event
5. Porcine semen and embryo
6. Bovine semen and embryo.
7. Sheep and goat for Breeding and Slaughter

(ii) Develop and finalize criteria for accreditation of livestock product establishment.

1. Poultry processing plants.
2. Meat processing plants.
3. Cattle slaughterhouse
4. Milk processing plant
5. Ice cream processing plant
6. Yoghurt processing plant
7. Canned (thermo-processed meat plant
8. Compounded animal feed plant
9. Egg processing plant

(iii) Workshop on Risk Analysis
(iv) Workshop on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP).

1.2.2 Strengthening animal diseases control programme among ASEAN Member Countries. (2005-2010)

(i) Control and Eradication of economically important animal diseases: FMD; Avian-flu; Classical Swine Fever.
• Establishment of Foot and Mouth (FMD) Diseases Free Zones in ASEAN Member Countries.
• Establishment of Animal Health Trust Fund

(ii) ASEAN Mekong Basin Livestock Development Cooperation:
• Mekong Basin Animal Quarantine Network

(iii) Develop equivalent animal disease diagnostic technique amongst ASEAN Member Countries. (2005-2008)

1.2.3 Facilitation of the intra-ASEAN trade in animal vaccines. (2005-2010)

(i) Accreditation of animal vaccine testing laboratories in ASEAN Member Countries.
(ii) ASEAN Register of Animal Vaccines.
(iii) ASEAN Standard Requirements for Animal Vaccines.

Fisheries

Action Programme 1:

Enhancement of intra- and extra-ASEAN trade and long-term competitiveness of ASEAN's food and agricultural products /commodities.

1.1 Monitoring of the implementation of the CEPT Scheme for AFTA for fisheries products.
(2005-2010)

1.1.1 Updating of the number of tariff lines of fisheries products that are in the Inclusion List (IL), Temporary Exclusion List (TEL), General Exception (GE) and Sensitive List of the CEPT Scheme.
1.1.2 Monitoring of tariff reduction schedules of the fisheries products in the IL.

1.2 Intensification of cooperation in production and processing technology development and transfer and enhancement of development, harmonization and adoption of quality standards for products.

1.2.1 Standardization of Quality control measures and processing techniques for fish and fisheries products.

i) Implementation of AADCP project on Quality Assurance and Safety of Fish and Fishery Products- HACCP Approach (2004-2007)

1.2.2 Standardization and development of good aquaculture practices, particularly for shrimps. (2005-2010)

i) Establishment of the ASEAN Network on Cultured Shrimp Inspection Authority (2005)
ii) Assuring Quality and Safety in Shrimp Aquaculture Production and Trade


1.3 Harmonization of fisheries SPS measures among ASEAN Member Countries.(2005-2010)

1.3.1 Encourage and educate the fishery stakeholders to enable production of fishery products through a Code of Conduct measures issued by FAO to promote the development of “Made in ASEAN” products and services. (2006)
1.3.2 Comply with Good Aquaculture Practices (GAP) in order to produce a better quality of aquaculture products that can compete in the international markets as an ASEAN Product
1.3.3 adopt the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Measures and develop implementation guidelines appropriate for ASEAN (2008)
1.3.4 Comply with Hazards Analysis Critical Control Point standard unanimously among ASEAN countries that have been approved by WHO and FAO
1.3.5 Establish MRA for selected fisheries products. (Ongoing exercise)

1.4 Study to Strengthen the Competitiveness of ASEAN Fisheries Products in International Markets. (2005-2010)

1.4.1 Specification of problems and constraints facing production of fisheries products in view of competitiveness in international markets.
1.4.2 Formulation of appropriate measures to integrate efforts of ASEAN Member Countries in a common programme


Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization
The agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO) calls for a single institutional framework encompassing the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994) as modified by the Uruguay Round.
Uruguay Round Protocol GATT 1994
For agricultural products, as defined in Article 2 of the Agreement on Agriculture, the staging of reductions shall be implemented as specified in the relevant parts of the schedules.
Agreement on Agriculture
The negotiations have resulted in four main portions of the Agreement; the Agreement on Agriculture itself; the concessions and commitments Members are to undertake on market access, domestic support and export subsidies; the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures; and the Ministerial Decision concerning Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing countries.
Overall, the results of the negotiations provide a framework for the long-term reform of agricultural trade and domestic policies over the years to come. It makes a decisive move towards the objective of increased market orientation in agricultural trade. The rules governing agricultural trade are strengthened which will lead to improved predictability and stability for importing and exporting countries alike.
The agricultural package also addresses provisions that encourage the use of less trade-distorting domestic support policies to maintain the rural economy, that allow actions to be taken to ease any adjustment burden, and also the introduction of tightly prescribed provisions that allow some flexibility in the implementation of commitments. Specific concerns of developing countries have been addressed including the concerns of net-food importing countries and least-developed countries.
The agricultural package provides for commitments in the area of market access, domestic support and export competition.
In the area of market access, non-tariff border measures are replaced by tariffs that provide substantially the same level of protection. Tariffs resulting from this “tariffication” process, as well as other tariffs on agricultural products, are to be reduced. Reductions are to be undertaken over six years in the case of developed countries and over ten years in the case of developing countries. Least-developed countries are not required to reduce their tariffs.
The tariffication package also provides for the maintenance of current access opportunities and the establishment of minimum access tariff quotas Domestic support measures that have, at most, a minimal impact on trade (“green box” policies) are excluded from reduction commitments. Such policies include general government services, for example in the areas of research, disease control, infrastructure and food security. It also includes direct payments to producers, for example certain forms of “decoupled” (from production) income support, structural adjustment assistance, direct payments under environmental programmes and under regional assistance programmes.
The Agreement on Agriculture provides for some limited flexibility between years in terms of export subsidy reduction commitments and contains provisions aimed at preventing the circumvention of the export subsidy commitments and sets out criteria for food aid donations and the use of export credits.
“Peace” provisions within the agreement include: an understanding that certain actions available under the Subsidies Agreement will not be applied with respect to green box policies and domestic support and export subsidies maintained in conformity with commitments; an understanding that “due restraint” will be used in the application of countervailing duty rights under the General Agreement; and setting out limits in terms of the applicability of nullification or impairment actions. The agreement sets up a committee that will monitor the implementation of commitments, and also monitor the follow-up to the Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing Countries.
Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
This agreement concerns the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures — in other words food safety and animal and plant health regulations. The agreement recognizes that governments have the right to take sanitary and phytosanitary measures but that they should be applied only to the extent necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health and should not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between Members where identical or similar conditions prevail.
In order to harmonize sanitary and phytosanitary measures on as wide a basis as possible, Members are encouraged to base their measures on international standards, guidelines and recommendations where they exist. The Agreement spells out procedures and criteria for the assessment of risk and the determination of appropriate levels of sanitary or phytosanitary protection.