The draft agriculture text has nothing in it - What a laugh!
I wonder if some of you have had a chance to look at the text produced by the Negotiating group on Agriculture for MC12 https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news21_e/agri_30nov21_e.htm
The text dated 29/07/2021, JOB/AG/215 (available here https://tradebetablog.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/chair-draft-july-2021_rd-ag-215.pdf ) had hardly anything in it.
However, the text dated 23/11/2021 wins. (it is available here: https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/TN/AG/50.pdf&Open=True ) It has absolutely nothing in it. Basically, it says:
We will negotiate on market access
We will negotiate on export competition
we will negotiate on domestic support.
and not much else.
And these negotiators are still drawing salaries - amazing.
We should remember that when Arthur Dunkel put up a text to conclude the Uruguay Round, he was prepared to write the text and fill in the numbers. He did not reduce the content of the text or the numbers to what would not upset the country with the least brave politicians or diplomats. He was prepared to put his job on the line.
The only silver lining here is that they had to cancel MC12. At least that saves the agriculture negotiators from having to face the laughter that would have arisen from the Ministers (and the press) summoned to the MC to consider their brave and bold text.
Can I suggest a better draft text:
"Members may attend meetings of each meeting of the negotiating group on agriculture if they have submitted a new Schedule of Concessions reducing bound rates on all tariffs by 0.1%."
Having done that it wouldn't do any harm for them to turn up to their meetings to engage in "WTO-speak" to their hearts' content.