Berthelot's comments on the Draft Possible Modalities on Agriculture

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(From the introduction)

1. [As underlined by the Chair's introduction (here deleted), this Draft could not go beyond the last negotiating positions of the Members. Although paragraph 3 of the Framework Agreement states that "The reforms in all three pillars form an interconnected whole and must be approached in a balanced and equitable manner", the Draft does not provide any integrated approach, contrary to the Chair's statement in his 9 June reference paper on market access that "We will have the consolidation with domestic support to create an integrated first draft in the week of the 19th".
2. Indeed developed countries are all the more able to sustain large tariff reductions that they maintain high levels of allowed domestic subsidies to compensate their large cuts in domestic agricultural prices. These subsidies have not only largely replaced the previous exports refunds