Trade: Concerns raised at WTO over EC's agriculture tariffs

Despite an increase in the exposure of farmers to world market signals due to the implementation of the 2003 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), agriculture remained protected by a complex tariff structure, high tariffs, tariff quotas (with unfilled quotas), and benefited from high levels of domestic support and export subsidies.

This was brought out at the WTO this week during the Trade Policy Review of the European Communities (EC) - held on 26 and 28 February.

Several members' concerns over the EC's agriculture policies were highlighted by the Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body in his concluding remarks on