Rebalancing the Rights of Importers and Exporters

International Food & Agricultural Trade Policy Council & CUTS International are organising a session titled ‘Rebalancing the Rights of Importers’ on September 20, 2011, in Geneva under the WTO Public Forum 2011.

The session will examine the motivations and impacts of agricultural export restrictions undertaken by governments in order to protect their population from high food prices. The session will also explore whether and how international trade disciplines on agricultural export restrictions can be improved. The session will address the following questions:

  • What motivates governments to impose export restrictions and what is their impact on prices and welfare in the country imposing the restrictions as well as on prices and welfare in other countries?
  • what kinds of rules should the international community agree to with regard to agricultural export restrictions?
  • what are the political factors that must be taken into account when advocating for rules governing export restrictions?
Abstract